The five-thousand three hundred year old glacier mummy, Otzi the ice man is now coming to Sydney, Australia, to be exhibited at the Nicholson Museum. The museum has chosen to exhibit Otzi due to his uniqueness as a mummy. Otzi is the only body that has been discovered from the Neolithic age (end of the Stone Age), dating him back to 3300BC making him one of the eldest mummies. Unlike the Egyptian mummies or the bog bodies, Otzi was preserved in a glacier in the Alps on the boarder of Italy and Austria. The Nicholson Museum is very aware of the ethical issues that surround the glacial mummy and will not do anything or display him in a manner that is disrespectful.
We as historian and archaeologists understand that there are many ethical issues such as ownership of the body or which side of the boarder was Otzi found in? Technically Otzi was found on the Italian side of the Alps, but he did not live in the Alps, therefore another issue arose. Was Otzi a pre-Italian or pre-Austrian ? it is very hard to figure out if he was a pre-Italian man traveling to Austrian or a pre-Austrian man traveling to Italy and because of this dispute over ownership continues.
Otzi was a human just like us, yet is it okay for us to display his body to the public eye for everyone to see? If we were to display a more recent body, there would be arguments and laws that would disallow that as it would be disrespectful. The Nicholson Museum understands that display a human remain no matter the age can be seen as a religious or ethical issue, and that ancient human remain deserve the same respect after death. The Nicholson Museum has received permission from the Italian government to display the body as long as it is done with respect and does not cause the body any harm.
The Nicholson Museum will display Otzi the Iceman with utmost respect and pride. Otzi is the only body that has been discovered from the Neolithic age , dating him back to 3300BC making him one of the eldest mummies and unlike the other mummies that have been discovered he was preserved in glacial ice which give him his uniqueness as an ancient mummy. The Nicholson Museum understand that there are ethical issues associated with displaying a human remain but as historians and archaeologists we promise that Otzi and his belongings will not be displayed in manner that is disrespectful.
We as historian and archaeologists understand that there are many ethical issues such as ownership of the body or which side of the boarder was Otzi found in? Technically Otzi was found on the Italian side of the Alps, but he did not live in the Alps, therefore another issue arose. Was Otzi a pre-Italian or pre-Austrian ? it is very hard to figure out if he was a pre-Italian man traveling to Austrian or a pre-Austrian man traveling to Italy and because of this dispute over ownership continues.
Otzi was a human just like us, yet is it okay for us to display his body to the public eye for everyone to see? If we were to display a more recent body, there would be arguments and laws that would disallow that as it would be disrespectful. The Nicholson Museum understands that display a human remain no matter the age can be seen as a religious or ethical issue, and that ancient human remain deserve the same respect after death. The Nicholson Museum has received permission from the Italian government to display the body as long as it is done with respect and does not cause the body any harm.
The Nicholson Museum will display Otzi the Iceman with utmost respect and pride. Otzi is the only body that has been discovered from the Neolithic age , dating him back to 3300BC making him one of the eldest mummies and unlike the other mummies that have been discovered he was preserved in glacial ice which give him his uniqueness as an ancient mummy. The Nicholson Museum understand that there are ethical issues associated with displaying a human remain but as historians and archaeologists we promise that Otzi and his belongings will not be displayed in manner that is disrespectful.