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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

Dickson, J.H.; Richards, M.P.; Hebda, R.J.; Mudie, P.J.; Beattie, O.; Ramsay, S.; Turner, N.J.; Leighton, B.J.; Webster, J.M.; Hobischak, N.R.; Anderson, G.S.; Troffe, P.M.; Wigen, R.J.

Authors

J.H. Dickson

M.P. Richards

R.J. Hebda

P.J. Mudie

O. Beattie

S. Ramsay

N.J. Turner

B.J. Leighton

J.M. Webster

N.R. Hobischak

G.S. Anderson

P.M. Troffe

R.J. Wigen



Abstract

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

Citation

Dickson, J., Richards, M., Hebda, R., Mudie, P., Beattie, O., Ramsay, S., …Wigen, R. (2004). 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. Holocene, 14(4), 481-486. https://doi.org/10.1191/0959683604hl742rp

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date May 1, 2004
Deposit Date Jul 20, 2009
Journal Holocene
Print ISSN 0959-6836
Electronic ISSN 1477-0911
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 14
Issue 4
Pages 481-486
DOI https://doi.org/10.1191/0959683604hl742rp
Keywords Ancient frozen body, Isotopes, Palynology, Macroscopic plant remains, Parasitology, ichthyology, Carcinology, Palaeodiet, Late Holocene, British Columbia.