At the time of the discovery, experts initially believed the blade was bronze — but analysis revealed it was copper, pure or nearly so, placing it firmly in the Copper Age technological tradition.

The significance of the axe is difficult to overstate.

Copper axes of this type were extremely valuable items in the Copper Age.

Copper smelting required specific knowledge, specific ore sources, and specific technological infrastructure.

A finished copper axe represented a significant investment of resources and skill.

Men who carried copper axes in this period were not ordinary.

The axe may have been a marker of social status, of technical expertise, or of authority within Ötzi’s community.

His clothing was similarly extraordinary in its preservation and complexity.