There is an issue regarding the idea that Otzi used the first item shown on this video as a game hanger from his belt. To be clear, the multiple lines of hand made rope/string were not permanently attached, but rather looped through and hung freely. Re: If the main line was attached to his belt and one of the other lines tied to a Bird, the weight of the bird would have pulled the string free allowing it to be lost.
I agree, I also kind of doubt that he was a proficient enough hunter of small game to facilitate a whole carry system. My guess is, simply, that they are extra leather thongs that he looped on his belt to dry, for future use
When I first saw the stone with what looked like leather ties I immediately thought of prepared string. What I cannot get why use the string through the belt strings - just go under and over the belt first forming a loop, then threading the two loose ends through the loop
This may very well be true . There Isone item I would like to talk about. The first artifact the circular cordage with cordage hanging from it . Most people disregard it because they don't know what it was . The circular piece of cordage had a series of knots tied in it , and the other pieces were not tied but simply hung from it . When I saw the circular cordage with knots in it the first thing that came to mind was "ranger beads " . They are used to calculate distance travel . The cordage that hung from it were trail markers . He would have marked his trail according to distance traveled. I believe he was a hunter gather looking for new hunting grounds and was killed when he stumbled on to another tribes territory. This was an amazing find showing the resourcefulness of man nearly 5000 years ago . Shoes, belts , backpack, knife , bow and arrow all amazing.
such an ingenious yet simple and functional method to carry not only his fire starter kit his medical kit and his ease of akcess to his most used items.
When you carry only a few necessities or tools, you must utilize those things in as many ways as possible. So any theories that relegate the items to specific use, are not good theories. No one will ever know specifically what these items were used for. We do know that these items could be used in many ways.
I think the little loop that had 4 knots, stone button and 9 leather strands has something to do with navigation. Think about it, 5 or 6 thousand years ago Europe was alot different place. Man had not established his seat on top as apex Predator. There were still critters that liked to eat us. Does a solo hunter cover himself in small game carcasses? Could have also been a calendar.
I think you solved the riddle for the most part. The stone disk with the 9 strands makes sense and the comparisons you used on your site with the 'canvas bird game carrier' was superb! I am convinced about that one, but the Birch Polypore I think may have served another function, though it would attach to the belt the same way. I have a theory about the Polypore. Why use polypore as two toggles and a stone disk as another toggle, why aren't they all polypore, or all stone? Continues.
continued 2. You wrote on your site that "The upper portion of the belt looks like it may have folded over the toggles to keep them dry..." This would make perfect sense, he would want that fungi dry if he was using it as a 'coal extender'. Plus, the fungi would constantly be air-dried hanging there on his belt. So, I believe, the reason one is doughnut shaped and the other is not is because he hasn't used all of the doughnut shaped one yet. continues 3
No. The disk does not need anything else. You just pass it under your belt from below and pull on the leather, any nice smug belt will fix it in place. I use this system for anything that I want to hang form my belt and it works perfectly without any ropes or lashings.
That's what I imagined when I heard about these disc items. My book on the subject calls the belt threads 'decorative stitching'. But Ötzi wasn't exactly a 'decorative' kind of guy, so who really knows?
@@amandajstar We do not know who made that belt. Handmade by Otzi , bartered, inherited, or even stolen, as he did have a rather high status expensive to make or own axe with him while everything else was pretty common. They are not hard to make, certainly not harder than tillering a bow on the road, so I assume he had the time and the skill to at some point stitch that pouch and lacing. When you cannot hunt due to weather you get to spent a lot of time improving or just maintaining your gear. It might have been a connection point for light stuff like grass for insulation or just gathering plants or other light stuff. But the disc was supposed to help with light game which is a bit much for that lacing while traversing through brushes and branches.
continued 3. I know he had other fungi for fire, but the polypore, I have read, burns like a 'jet'. Maybe this Birch fungi, since it grows on birch, absorbs the oils of the birch and therefore becomes more like birch bark, which all bushmen know easily catches a spark even when wet. So maybe it was only used as a 'coal extender' in wet conditions as a 'sure fire' tinder! It could still be used the way you explained (when dry) and this would give it a dual purpose. Well, that's my theory : )
It's similar to the way Japanese samurai carried things hanging from their belts/sash's so yep I think you have something there might not be exact but very close if not exact
I realize this is an old thread, However: I think you are on to something with the "Game Hanger idea... I have an Antique Game Hanger consisting of a steel Ring with twelve plaited leather thongs, each thong ten to twelve inches long with a slip loop plaited into the end of each plaited thong. The Ring is hung on Belt or Pack with no need to remove the whole rig to add or remove birds or small game. My Game Hanger is quite old, 80+ years... -Regards
Cool movie. Otzi was carrying an unfinished bow, unfinished arrows, maybe something else unfinished? Why do many people assume that Otzi only equipped himself with perfect, ideal things? Maybe Otzi improvised with the equipment and experimented?
Back when I used to small game hunt in the 70s -90s I made something almost identical to this when I was 16 for rabbits & grouse. I have no idea where I got the idea from only that I needed a way to carry them and keep them cool .utzi hadn't been found yet .
I came to the same conclusion when the British museum fella showed his actual bit of kit. Those twisted bits of hide would most logically been used in this fashion. Thinking simply about it's most obvious function.
That's a really good suggestion. I'm curious what the anthropologists and other experts suggested that part of his belt and those objects were used for. If you make any sort of follow-up videos to this, it would be interesting to hear what competing hypotheses are on offer for these bits of his kit. Thanks for this, -Martin
I was wondering about this -- most ingenious explanations, thank you. Also I like everything in tasteful and elegant white : ) And the moose joke, too.
Anybody’s theory at this point is and will remain a guess. But let me also suggest something. I initially thought after first learning of Otzi years ago and also watching your video that everything he had on him was complete in its final form. Other than the unfinished arrows of course. But let’s hypothesize that maybe other items on his person were incomplete. Just another way of looking at it.
Interesting theory. But why do that when he could have put the game in his rucksack,backpack? I think we modern people who have cordage readily available to us take it for granted. Cordage was time consuming back then and not quite as valuable as his copper axe but nonetheless important.
Maybe, but I disagree. Quite a lot to simply carry birds. Birds aren’t much of a meal either. I used to dove hunt quite a bit, 2 birds weren’t worth cooking. Breast meat is all you get and their fairly small.
Yo creo que primero pasa por dentro del cinturón y luego introduce en las bucles, la pieza de retención, eso le permitiría que nunca se pudiera liberar el sistema, y caerse, la presa y perderla
Yes, the miniature moose was a popular game animal hunted throughout the late Neolithic. They went extinct after the invention of spring loaded moose traps in the late 1890's.
Clearly, Otzi was a traveling carny by his distinctive looks. If you have ever been to a traveling carnival you would recognize this. As for the belt with the thingy with the tassels, it was used by his customers to throw at targets to win prizes like the stuffed moose🤣 Or possibly a belly dancer is my other theory with the tassels as decorations while dancing😳
This video is correct. It's Ooh-tsi, the sound in German is at the front of the mouth and sounds more like a schwa in English. Sort of like when you don't know what to say next and the sound comes out as 'er...'
There is an issue regarding the idea that Otzi used the first item shown on this video as a game hanger from his belt. To be clear, the multiple lines of hand made rope/string were not permanently attached, but rather looped through and hung freely. Re: If the main line was attached to his belt and one of the other lines tied to a Bird, the weight of the bird would have pulled the string free allowing it to be lost.
I agree, I also kind of doubt that he was a proficient enough hunter of small game to facilitate a whole carry system. My guess is, simply, that they are extra leather thongs that he looped on his belt to dry, for future use
When I first saw the stone with what looked like leather ties I immediately thought of prepared string. What I cannot get why use the string through the belt strings - just go under and over the belt first forming a loop, then threading the two loose ends through the loop
This may very well be true .
There Isone item I would like to talk about. The first artifact the circular cordage with cordage hanging from it . Most people disregard it because they don't know what it was . The circular piece of cordage had a series of knots tied in it , and the other pieces were not tied but simply hung from it . When I saw the circular cordage with knots in it the first thing that came to mind was "ranger beads " . They are used to calculate distance travel . The cordage that hung from it were trail markers . He would have marked his trail according to distance traveled.
I believe he was a hunter gather looking for new hunting grounds and was killed when he stumbled on to another tribes territory.
This was an amazing find showing the resourcefulness of man nearly 5000 years ago . Shoes, belts , backpack, knife , bow and arrow all amazing.
Great concept man.... I wish everyone looked at how great a find Otzi was! Things like this really gets my mind spinning....
such an ingenious yet simple and functional method to carry not only his fire starter kit his medical kit and his ease of akcess to his most used items.
When you carry only a few necessities or tools, you must utilize those things in as many ways as possible. So any theories that relegate the items to specific use, are not good theories. No one will ever know specifically what these items were used for. We do know that these items could be used in many ways.
I think the little loop that had 4 knots, stone button and 9 leather strands has something to do with navigation. Think about it, 5 or 6 thousand years ago Europe was alot different place. Man had not established his seat on top as apex Predator. There were still critters that liked to eat us. Does a solo hunter cover himself in small game carcasses? Could have also been a calendar.
Lots of good merit in this thought process! Simple and elegant kit concept. This is the Bushcraft utility belt!
I think you solved the riddle for the most part. The stone disk with the 9 strands makes sense and the comparisons you used on your site with the 'canvas bird game carrier' was superb! I am convinced about that one, but the Birch Polypore I think may have served another function, though it would attach to the belt the same way.
I have a theory about the Polypore. Why use polypore as two toggles and a stone disk as another toggle, why aren't they all polypore, or all stone? Continues.
continued 2. You wrote on your site that "The upper portion of the belt looks like it may have folded over the toggles to keep them dry..." This would make perfect sense, he would want that fungi dry if he was using it as a 'coal extender'. Plus, the fungi would constantly be air-dried hanging there on his belt. So, I believe, the reason one is doughnut shaped and the other is not is because he hasn't used all of the doughnut shaped one yet. continues 3
I have a similar modern day item meant for that exact purpose.
Now that I see these fierce birds I understand why he was carrying those big arrows.
No. The disk does not need anything else. You just pass it under your belt from below and pull on the leather, any nice smug belt will fix it in place. I use this system for anything that I want to hang form my belt and it works perfectly without any ropes or lashings.
That's what I imagined when I heard about these disc items. My book on the subject calls the belt threads 'decorative stitching'. But Ötzi wasn't exactly a 'decorative' kind of guy, so who really knows?
@@amandajstar We do not know who made that belt. Handmade by Otzi , bartered, inherited, or even stolen, as he did have a rather high status expensive to make or own axe with him while everything else was pretty common. They are not hard to make, certainly not harder than tillering a bow on the road, so I assume he had the time and the skill to at some point stitch that pouch and lacing. When you cannot hunt due to weather you get to spent a lot of time improving or just maintaining your gear.
It might have been a connection point for light stuff like grass for insulation or just gathering plants or other light stuff. But the disc was supposed to help with light game which is a bit much for that lacing while traversing through brushes and branches.
@@dragoscoco2173 Interesting: thanks.
continued 3. I know he had other fungi for fire, but the polypore, I have read, burns like a 'jet'. Maybe this Birch fungi, since it grows on birch, absorbs the oils of the birch and therefore becomes more like birch bark, which all bushmen know easily catches a spark even when wet. So maybe it was only used as a 'coal extender' in wet conditions as a 'sure fire' tinder! It could still be used the way you explained (when dry) and this would give it a dual purpose.
Well, that's my theory : )
It's similar to the way Japanese samurai carried things hanging from their belts/sash's so yep I think you have something there might not be exact but very close if not exact
I realize this is an old thread, However: I think you are on to something with the "Game Hanger idea... I have an Antique Game Hanger consisting of a steel Ring with twelve plaited leather thongs, each thong ten to twelve inches long with a slip loop plaited into the end of each plaited thong. The Ring is hung on Belt or Pack with no need to remove the whole rig to add or remove birds or small game. My Game Hanger is quite old, 80+ years... -Regards
The original Molle suspension system.
Cool movie.
Otzi was carrying an unfinished bow, unfinished arrows, maybe something else unfinished? Why do many people assume that Otzi only equipped himself with perfect, ideal things? Maybe Otzi improvised with the equipment and experimented?
Back when I used to small game hunt in the 70s -90s I made something almost identical to this when I was 16 for rabbits & grouse. I have no idea where I got the idea from only that I needed a way to carry them and keep them cool .utzi hadn't been found yet .
I came to the same conclusion when the British museum fella showed his actual bit of kit. Those twisted bits of hide would most logically been used in this fashion. Thinking simply about it's most obvious function.
That's a really good suggestion. I'm curious what the anthropologists and other experts suggested that part of his belt and those objects were used for. If you make any sort of follow-up videos to this, it would be interesting to hear what competing hypotheses are on offer for these bits of his kit.
Thanks for this,
-Martin
I think 🤔 it was a hand Gilly to conceal his spear...this ...im also thinking dude is way off
They don't know what they were used for
I was wondering about this -- most ingenious explanations, thank you. Also I like everything in tasteful and elegant white : ) And the moose joke, too.
So Ötzi invented the MOLLE system :-)
He didn't have points on most of his arrows. A arrow shaft without a stone tip may have made for a nice dart for birds. Was otzi on a bird hunt?
That is how I also imagined those items might have been used.
Well done. By golly I think you got it.
Victorys under his belt.
Thank you. Very logical
Anybody’s theory at this point is and will remain a guess. But let me also suggest something. I initially thought after first learning of Otzi years ago and also watching your video that everything he had on him was complete in its final form. Other than the unfinished arrows of course. But let’s hypothesize that maybe other items on his person were incomplete. Just another way of looking at it.
He would've worn the strips to the side. Because, he also wore a loin cloth that would've been supported by the belt and hung over it, front and back!
Interesting theory. But why do that when he could have put the game in his rucksack,backpack? I think we modern people who have cordage readily available to us take it for granted. Cordage was time consuming back then and not quite as valuable as his copper axe but nonetheless important.
Great idea!
Maybe, but I disagree. Quite a lot to simply carry birds. Birds aren’t much of a meal either. I used to dove hunt quite a bit, 2 birds weren’t worth cooking. Breast meat is all you get and their fairly small.
Goood explanation !
Yo creo que primero pasa por dentro del cinturón y luego introduce en las bucles, la pieza de retención, eso le permitiría que nunca se pudiera liberar el sistema, y caerse, la presa y perderla
Brilliant!
Repair kit.
I agree
Yea
You’re proposing that he attached a Moose to his belt? Really?
Yes, the miniature moose was a popular game animal hunted throughout the late Neolithic. They went extinct after the invention of spring loaded moose traps in the late 1890's.
Clearly, Otzi was a traveling carny by his distinctive looks. If you have ever been to a traveling carnival you would recognize this. As for the belt with the thingy with the tassels, it was used by his customers to throw at targets to win prizes like the stuffed moose🤣
Or possibly a belly dancer is my other theory with the tassels as decorations while dancing😳
That would work!
I think it's pretty genius.
i have heard it pronounced "ootzi" in a number of documentaries.
This video is correct. It's Ooh-tsi, the sound in German is at the front of the mouth and sounds more like a schwa in English. Sort of like when you don't know what to say next and the sound comes out as 'er...'
it doesnt make sense to me
b/c you're a chick who prolly never hunted?
It's pronounced like Ertzi not ootzi
:)