5,000 years later, the ice man gets a face

A hunter who died a violent death in the Italian Alps more than 5,000 years ago became a bit more recognizable to modern-day humans. "Oetzi," whose mummified remains were discovered in 1991, finally has a face.

He's not exactly Cary Grant, but let's give the guy a break. During his lifetime - he lived to 45 or 46 - Oetzi faced a world that was nasty and brutish. Whoever he was, Otezi died a violent death. A flint arrowhead had penetrated his skin and researchers say that the arrow cut a major blood vessel in the man's left arm. That led to heavy bleeding and possibly paralysis of the arm. The body also showed evidence of a deep hand wound as well as several abrasions and bruises.

When the mummified remains were discovered, the body was in relatively good shape - it had been preserved under ice for all that time - except for the face. The reconstruction work by a couple of Dutch artists made use of 3-D and forensics technology to carry out the project gives Oetzi an identity after all these years.

The new exhibit is going on display at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the mummy's discovery.

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