Buzz
As we explored in a previous article, there is an unexpected benefit to the melting glaciers and other regions that were once frozen permanently. The retreating ice is unveiling long-hidden artifacts—many of which hold invaluable historical value—that have been preserved by the ice for centuries, or even millennia.
However, once these relics are freed from their frozen graves and exposed to the elements, they begin to deteriorate and vanish quickly. Researchers and archaeologists worldwide are in a race against time to recover these emerging treasures before they disappear forever. Here are 10 more archaeological revelations made possible by global warming.
10. A 30,000-Year-Old Enormous Virus
Motivated by scientists who successfully revived wildflowers from 30,000-year-old seeds, two French researchers, Jean-Michel Claverie and Chantal Abergel, wondered if they could achieve the same feat with a virus. In a story straight out of science fiction, they not only revived a 30,000-year-old virus, but it was still capable of infecting. Luckily, this virus targeted amoebae, not humans. The virus was also massive, almost resembling a bacterium. Even more intriguingly, it attacked its host in an unconventional way and was mostly void of genetic material despite its size. This is strange, given that viruses typically pack as much genetic material as possible into a tiny space.
But imagine if this resurrected virus had been capable of infecting humans? A virus that had not been in contact with humans for 30 centuries? Could such a virus wipe out millions with no immunity? It may sound far-fetched, but as glaciers continue to melt, they reveal all sorts of long-frozen organic material. There’s simply no telling what could surface. This raises concerns, particularly with the melting of the polar regions. Soon, people will be settling in places like Greenland that have been frozen for hundreds of years. What could they uncover when they start drilling and mining?
9. Prehistoric Moss
Around 500 years ago, in the remote Arctic region of Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, approaching glaciers engulfed moss and lichens. These simple organisms were buried under tons of ice for centuries... until recently, when the ice finally receded and they emerged.
The researchers who witnessed these plants emerging from what seemed like melting ice wondered: 'Could these plants still be alive?' Some appeared brown and lifeless, while others were sprouting fresh green stems. The scientists took samples back to their lab to test if the moss was still viable. They simply placed the moss in potting soil—much like you would with geraniums—and waited to see what would happen.
To their astonishment, they successfully regenerated the moss and observed new growth. Even after being buried in ice for centuries, these plants proved to be alive and viable. The implications for scientists are clear—if glaciers continue to melt and expose these dormant plants, they could repopulate northern regions.
8. Soldiers and Weapons of World War I
During World War I, the northern part of Italy near the Austrian border became the site of fierce combat between Italian forces and Austro-Hungarian soldiers, a conflict that became known as 'The White War.' At the time, it was one of the most isolated and treacherous battlefields of the war. Now, with the glaciers melting, the remains of fallen soldiers and the weapons they used are being uncovered in the Alps.
In 2003, more than 200 World War I munitions were discovered as the ice melted at an altitude of 3 kilometers (10,000 ft) in the Trentino region of northern Italy. It appears the soldiers had stored the explosives in a munitions cache inside the glacier. As the glacier receded, the munitions, each weighing 10 kilograms (22 lbs), were found on the ground, stacked neatly. The soldiers themselves are also being uncovered, frozen in place where they fell. Initially, their personal belongings—diaries, clothing fragments, letters—emerged from the ice. Now, the soldiers from both the Italian and Austrian sides, who fought and perished, are emerging from the ice, thawing and returning to the world of daylight. They stand as well-preserved markers of a war fought just a century ago—a war once thought to be the final one.
7. Roman Relics
The Schnidejoch pass is a route through the Alpine Mountains of Europe, linking two valleys and used by travelers for centuries, connecting Italy with the north. It is believed that European ancestors have crossed this pass for over 6,000 years. As a result, the pass has accumulated thousands of years of discarded items. With the glaciers surrounding the Schnidejoch now melting, these discarded items are transforming into invaluable scientific artifacts from ancient times.
The recovered objects tend to fall into distinct historical periods. Experts believe the artifacts correspond to times when the pass was accessible and in use. One such period yielded items from the Roman Empire, dating back about 1,800 years. Among the discoveries are a belt from a Roman tunic, Roman shoe nails, cloak pins, and coins. Additionally, nearby ruins may point to a Roman settlement or outpost. Together, these discoveries from different periods reflect how advancing and retreating glaciers would alternately open and close the pass to travelers. Looking at the recovered coins, it's easy to imagine a Roman soldier, far from the warm Mediterranean of Italy, losing the coin while journeying from Italy to England or Germany.
6. Ancient Leather Shoe from the Bronze Age
In 2006, a remarkable find was made in the Lendbreen ice patch in Norway. A woodworker and amateur archaeologist stumbled upon a remarkably well-preserved ancient leather shoe. Upon examination, archaeologists were astonished to discover that the shoe was over 3,000 years old, dating back to the time of Otzi the Iceman—the Bronze Age man uncovered in 1991 in the mountains of northern Italy.
Leather items are excellent indicators of a glacier's age. When the ice melts, leather objects are exposed to the air and quickly degrade. Thus, when scientists uncover ancient leather artifacts, they can be certain the ice must date back to the same era, making the glacier at least as old. The shoe, made from tanned leather, is approximately a size 7 (size 39 in Europe). It is one of the oldest shoes ever discovered globally and the oldest shoe ever found in Norway.
5. Horse from the Iron Age
The Lendbreen glacier near Lillehammer, Norway, has uncovered numerous remarkable finds of exceptionally preserved archaeological artifacts. In earlier discoveries, scientists came across horse manure at high altitudes, an unusual find since they typically only encounter reindeer droppings at such elevations. Additionally, they unearthed horseshoes that were over 1,000 years old. This led the scientists to deduce that where there was horse manure and horseshoes, horses must have once roamed.
In August 2013, the scientists made a groundbreaking discovery: they found the remains of one of the horses (the first such discovery of an ancient horse at such a high altitude). The horse was small, resembling the type typically found in Iceland. Researchers believe the horse broke its leg and was killed immediately. This discovery further confirmed that people in this era used horses for transportation. They speculate that reindeer hunters employed horses to carry reindeer carcasses from the mountains down to nearby villages. If you can read Norwegian, here is the link to the original article.
4. Ancient Forests
Around 2,000 years ago, the Mendenhall Glacier began its gradual advance toward a hemlock and spruce forest in what is now Juneau, Alaska. As the glacier moved forward, it pushed glacial meltwater—carrying tons of gravel—into the forest. The gravel gradually buried the trees, snapping branches but leaving the trees themselves still standing and rooted. Over time, the gravel eventually covered the majority of the trees, serving as a kind of protective buffer as the glacier crept over the forest.
The immense weight of the ice and the pressure exerted by the glacier would usually have crushed the trees. However, the gravel shielded the forest, and now, as the glacier recedes, much of the forest is reappearing, with many trees still standing. Remarkably, many of the trees have retained their bark, offering scientists a unique opportunity to study them in their original state and more accurately estimate their age. One tree has been dated to be 2,350 years old.
3. Theodul Pass Man
Most people have heard of Otzi, the remarkably preserved Copper Age man who lived between 3500-3100 B.C. The 1991 discovery of his body, high in the Alpine Mountains, and the mystery surrounding his life and death continues to intrigue scientists even after more than 20 years of research. However, less is known about a 16th-century figure, known as “Theodul Pass Man.” While not as ancient as Otzi, Theodul Pass Man's story is equally mysterious and captivating.
The story begins in 1985 when a ski instructor, Annemarie Julen-Lehner, was hiking near the Theodul Glacier in Switzerland, a place referred to by locals as “Lichenbretter,” meaning “corpse slab.” This term accurately reflects the glacier's ongoing movement and the bodies it occasionally uncovers. The Theodul Pass is a treacherous 3.35-kilometer (11,000 ft) shortcut through the mountains, connecting Switzerland to Italy. The route, filled with hidden crevasses, can be deadly, and it seems that this is exactly what happened to Theodul Pass Man.
Ms. Julen-Lehner discovered bones protruding from the ice and took them to her brother, a biologist. He quickly recognized the importance of the find. The bones were identified as belonging to a human and a mule. Although the glacier's ice usually preserves bodies, the bones indicated that the remains had been exposed to sunlight and had deteriorated over time. Annemarie and her brother later recovered pieces of the man's skull and even fragments of his brain.
Over the next four years, the brother-sister duo, along with archaeologists, uncovered revealing clues about Theodul Pass Man’s identity. Among the items found with the body were pieces of his clothing and footwear. He was well-equipped for his journey, carrying a flint pistol, a dagger still in its sheath, and a sword marked by a German blacksmith. He also wore a silver amulet engraved with a cross and carried a cup engraved with the initials “H.A.” However, the most significant discovery was the 90-plus copper and silver coins he had on him, which dated the remains to the final decade of the 1500s.
Before the discovery of the coins, archaeologists speculated that the body might belong to Anton Fux, a local man who had vanished in the glacier in 1584. However, the coins, which dated from 1585 and later, ruled out this possibility. The coins indicated that Theodul Pass Man died sometime after 1588, offering additional clues about his origin. The coins featured the image of Philip II of Habsburg, the ruler of Spain and northern Italy at the time, suggesting that Theodul Pass Man was likely of Italian or Spanish descent. He may have been traveling north along the pass when tragedy struck. Together, it seems that Theodul Pass Man could have been an Italian mercenary, journeying from Italy to Switzerland. Riding his mule, he likely fell into a crevasse and perished. The man and his mule were exposed to the elements for years until the onset of the Little Ice Age sealed their remains in the glacier. More than 400 years later, as the glacier receded, the man, his mule, and their belongings were rediscovered.
2. Iron Age Tunic
Have you ever left your jacket on a movie theater seat and forgotten it when you left? Something similar happened around A.D. 300 at the Lendbreen glacier in Norway, where someone removed their kyrtel (a type of tunic), placed it down, and walked away. This is the conclusion drawn by scientists, although it's hard to imagine anyone leaving behind such a warm garment in such frigid conditions.
Perhaps it was an unusually warm day along the glacier's hunting paths, and the owner removed the tunic to bask in the sun, forgetting where they left it? Or, it could be that the owner was suffering from the final stages of hypothermia, experiencing a strange phenomenon known as paradoxical undressing, where a person feels a sudden warmth just before freezing to death and removes their clothing. Could this have been the fate of the tunic's owner on the glacier?
Regardless of how it was lost, the kyrtel was found in a melting ice patch, still remarkably well-preserved after over 1,700 years. The tunic, worn over the head like an ancient hoodie, would have fit someone about 175 centimeters (5'9”) tall. Made from adult sheep wool and softer lamb wool, the tunic features two different shades of color woven in a style popular in Iron Age Europe. It had been patched twice, perhaps offering clues to its original owner. If you think you may have misplaced this tunic, here is a good photo to help you identify it.
1. William Holland And Jonathon Conville
Not only ancient hunters and climbers are emerging from the world's melting glaciers. For decades or even centuries, bodies have been trapped in the ice, protected, and eventually released by the glaciers. Regardless of who they were or when they died, the glaciers have the power to take away loved ones' lives, and years later, they offer some closure for those left behind. Two recently discovered bodies highlight the chilling and powerful role glaciers play in preserving and revealing the past.
In 1979, Jonathon Conville was on the path to turning his life around. A former British paratrooper, he had fallen in love with the outdoors. One of his goals was to summit the Matterhorn in Switzerland's Alps. However, during the climb, a storm trapped him and his climbing partner on the mountain's north face. Conville disappeared, and his partner was rescued by helicopter. More than 30 years later, a rescue helicopter pilot noticed something unusual on the melting glacier. It appeared to be human remains. A search team found climbing gear and clothing, including a tag that read 'Conville.' A pathologist traced his living relatives to inform them of the discovery. His sister was able to reclaim the body and hold her brother’s hand once more after all these years.
In 2010, across the globe in Canada, a different glacier revealed another climber’s long-lost remains. This time, it was William Holland, an American who had gone missing in April 1989 while attempting to hike a treacherous frozen waterfall on Snow Dome Mountain. Like Conville, Holland's climbing partners survived, but he met his end when he got too close to the edge of a frozen precipice, which gave way. He fell 305 meters (1,000 feet) to his death. By the time a recovery team reached him, an avalanche had buried his body. When hikers discovered him in 2010, the glacier had preserved him so well that his climbing rope was still wrapped around his body.
