Kwäday Dän Ts'ìnchì, the first ancient body of a man from a North American glacier: reconstructing his last days by intestinal and biomolecular analyses

• DOI: 10.1191/0959683604hl742rp
• Publication Date: 2004-07-28T00:14:42Z
• Authors: James H. Dickson; Michael P. Richards; Richard J. Hebda; Petra J. Mudie; Owen Beattie; Susan Ramsay; Nancy J. Turner; Bruce J. Leighton; John M. Webster; Niki R. Hobischak; Gail S. Anderson; Peter M. Troffe; Rebecca J. Wigen
• Keywords: 580; 0303 health sciences; Carcinology; Ancient frozen body; British Columbia; Palynology; Macroscopic plant remains; Late Holocene; Palaeodiet; 03 medical and health sciences; Isotopes; ichthyology; Parasitology; 14. Life underwater

We report on scientific analyses of the only well-preserved ancient human body ever recovered from a North American glacier. The was found high in mountains northwest British Columbia at about 80 km nearest point strongly indented coast southern Alaska. geographical location suggests that young man, aged 20 years, could have lived either mild or continental interior. Preliminary environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and light microscope studies contents digestive tract reveal pollen an intertidal salt-marsh plant pieces marine crustacean. Remains coastal zone plants (a fruit flowering needle coniferous tree) had adhered to deceased's robe. Stable isotope bone muscle show more than 90% dietary protein sources. conclude this individual strong connections during his life been shortly before he died 550 600 years ago.