The man who emerged from the ice

In September 1991, two hikers crossing a high mountain pass in the Alps spotted what looked like a body emerging from the ice.

They assumed it was a recent accident.

The figure was face down, partially exposed, with one arm twisted beneath him. Nearby lay bits of wood and leather. Nothing about it seemed ancient.

But it was.

The body had been frozen in place for more than 5,000 years.

Today, he is known as Ötzi the Iceman.

Ötzi was found in the Ötztal Alps, near the border of modern-day Italy and Austria.

At first, rescuers treated the site like a recent recovery. The body was chipped out of the ice with little ceremony. It was only after closer examination that scientists realized what they were dealing with.

Radiocarbon dating later placed his death around 3300 BC.

He had been preserved by a rare combination of cold, ice, and rapid burial, which protected not just his bones, but his skin, clothing, and belongings.