Deem, James M.
BODIES FROM THE ICE : MELTING GLACIERS AND THE RECOVERY OF THE PAST
New York : Houghton Mifflin, 2008
IL 5-8, RL 8.6
ISBN 061880045X

This is just what happened to two mountain hikers in the Alps in 1991. They saw something that they first thought was trash left by some thoughtless hiker. As they got closer, they realized it was a man, face down in a patch of melting ice. Because the body was in such good condition they assumed it was a hiker who had recently gone missing. They were wrong. It was actually the body of a man who had died 5,300 years ago! The body was so well-preserved because of weather conditions and the terrain near the spot where he died. The mummy and the artifacts found with him have provided lots of new information about human life during the Copper age. Interestingly, the man, who had been murdered, had 59 different tattoos, proving that 'body art' is certainly nothing new.

Because of global warming, the earth's glaciers are disappearing at an alarming rate. Most of the glaciers in the Americas, Africa and Europe's Alps are likely to be gone before the end of the century. For forensic anthropologists, there is one small bright spot. As the glaciers vanish, they give us a glimpse into human history from the mummified remains they have preserved so well.

Find out about this mummy and others that have been uncovered around the world by shrinking glaciers. Anyone interested in archaeology, ancient history, or mummies will find something to like about this book. (Jennifer Mooney, jmooney@mcps.org, librarian)