Original Article
Six mosses from the Tyrolean Iceman’s alimentary tract and their significance for his ethnobotany and the events of his last
days
James H. Dickson1  , Wolfgang Hofbauer2, Ronald Porley3, Alexandra Schmidl2, Werner Kofler2 and Klaus Oeggl2
| (1) |
Graham Kerr Building, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK |
| (2) |
Institut für Botanik, 15 Sternwartestrasse, A6020 Innsbruck, Austria |
| (3) |
English Nature, Foxhold House, Crookham Common, Thatcham, RG19 8EL, UK |
Received: 4 July 2006 Accepted: 19 March 2007 Published online: 10 January 2008
Abstract Six different mosses have been recognised in samples taken from the intestinal contents of the 5,200-year-old Iceman from
the Eastern Alps. Four of the species are important in understanding the lifestyle of the man and/or bear on the events during
the last few days of his life: Anomodon viticulosus, Hymenostylium recurvirostrum, Neckera complanata and Sphagnum imbricatum. The past and present chorology and habitats of the Hymenostylium are discussed in detail, as is the ethnobotany of the Sphagnum concerning both the Iceman and Kwäday Dän Ts’ìnchí, the first ancient glacier body from North America.
Keywords Iceman - Neolithic Archaeology - Mosses - Intestinal contents - Austria - Italy - Alps
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