Ötzi the Iceman: A 5,000-Year-Old True Crime Murder Mystery

Ötzi the Iceman is Europe’s oldest known natural mummy. He was discovered in 1991 by two hikers in the Ötztal Alps, near the border between Austria and Italy, after being preserved in glacial ice for more than 5,000 years.

The PBS/NOVA documentary treats his discovery like a modern criminal investigation. Scientists use CT scans, DNA analysis, forensic reconstruction, and detailed examination of his belongings to understand who Ötzi was, how he lived, and how he died.