經濟學人：「冰人」最後的晚餐

最新 07-24

The Iceman』s last supper

經濟學人：「冰人」最後的晚餐

原刊：《經濟學人》7月14日刊

翻譯：鳳梨是只胖柯基

校閱：PC

圖源：網路，版權歸原作者所有

A mummy』s final meal adds to an ancient mystery

「冰人」木乃伊的最後一餐增加了一個古老的謎團

It consisted mainly of deer and ibex fat

它主要由鹿和野山羊的脂肪組成

（因為冰凍乾屍的樣子太恐怖了，還是放點阿爾卑斯山的美景給大家看看吧）

HOW to prepare for a trip to the mountains concerned hikers five millennia ago as much as it does today. That is the conclusion of the latest study of the mummy dubbed 「?tzi the Iceman」, who perished 5,300 years ago in the Alps, near what is now the border between Austria and Italy. An analysis of the Iceman』s remains suggests that his meal before he set off on what was to turn out to be a fatal trip was high in protein and fat, and composed mainly of meat.

五千年前的徒步旅行者和現在一樣關心的是如何為登山旅行做準備，這是對被稱為「冰人奧茲」的木乃伊的最新研究的結論。5300年前，這具木乃伊死於阿爾卑斯山，靠近現在的奧地利和義大利邊境。對」冰人」遺體的分析表明，他在出發前的晚餐富含蛋白質和脂肪，而且主要是肉。

The Iceman』s remains were discovered in 1991. After a diplomatic tussle over which side of the border his resting place was, they ended up in a museum in Bolzano, Italy. Subsequent analysis told a tantalising tale. An initial investigation suggested he had died of exposure during a winter storm. Later CT scans, however, revealed an arrowhead lodged in his left shoulder. This had severed a vital artery. Closer examination showed a deep cut to his right hand, suggesting that he had recently been in a fight. That led to imaginative stories about a fugitive fleeing a lynch mob.

「冰人」的遺體於1991年被發現。在一場關於他安息的地方是屬於哪國邊境的外交爭鬥之後，他的遺體最終被安放在義大利博爾扎諾的一個博物館裡。隨後的分析講述了一個引人入勝的故事。初步調查顯示，「冰人」死於冬季暴風雪。但後來的CT掃描顯示，他左肩有一個箭頭，箭頭切斷了一條重要的動脈。仔細檢查發現，他的右手有一道很深的傷口，表明他死前不久經歷過打鬥。這就引出了一個富有想像力的故事:一個逃亡者逃離了一群暴民。

If so, he was a well-prepared fugitive. Frank Maixner and Albert Zink, two researchers at the Institute for Mummy Studies, in Bolzano, have just published details of his stomach contents in Current Biology. They speak of someone who had had enough time to eat a nourishing meal before departing.

如果是這樣的話，他就是一個準備充分的逃亡者。弗蘭克·邁克斯納(Frank Maixner)和阿爾伯特·津克(Albert Zink)是位於博爾扎諾(Bolzano)的木乃伊研究研究所(Institute for Mummy Studies)的兩名研究人員，他們剛剛公布了他在《當代生物學》(Current Biology)上的胃容物細節。他們說「冰人」在離開之前有足夠的時間吃了一頓營養豐富的飯。

A unique specimen such as the Iceman is not cut open lightly. But Dr Maixner and Dr Zink knew, from scans, that his stomach was full when he died and therefore that useful information could be gleaned from doing so. Initial examination under a microscope of the sample taken revealed numerous chunks of meat and animal fat jumbled up in a mixture of plant fragments. To identify which species these materials had come from, the two researchers carried out a chemical analysis.

像」冰人」這樣獨特的標本是不能被輕易地解剖的。但是邁克斯納博士和津克博士從掃描中得知，他死的時候肚子是飽的，因此，這樣做可以收集到有用的信息。在顯微鏡下進行的初步檢查顯示，大量的肉和動物脂肪混雜在植物碎片中。為了確定這些胃容物來自哪個物種，兩位研究人員進行了化學分析。

This revealed phytanic acid (frequently found in the fat and milk of ruminants), azelaic acid (common in wholegrain cereals) and gamma-terpinene (typically found in herbs like coriander). There was also a lot of iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium and sodium—substances consistent with the consumption of red meat or dairy products. DNA analysis of the materials showed the sources of the meat and fat to be ibex and red deer, and that the plant fragments came mainly from einkorn, an early form of domesticated wheat.

結果顯示有植酸(經常在反芻動物的脂肪和牛奶中發現)，壬二酸(在全麥穀物中常見)和萜品烯(通常在香菜中發現)。也有大量的鐵、鈣、鋅、鎂和鈉等物質與食用紅肉或乳製品相一致。這些材料的DNA分析顯示，肉和脂肪的來源是野山羊和紅鹿，而這些植物碎片主要來自於單粒小麥，一種早期的馴化小麥。

The real surprise was the proportion of the Iceman』s stomach contents that was animal fat—46% by weight. The only people nowadays who eat so much fat are those preparing for strenuous physical activities in harsh conditions. Dr Maixner and Dr Zink suggest that the Iceman』s contemporaries had worked out the value of fat in these circumstances, and that the Iceman himself, rather than being a spontaneous fugitive, had been planning on venturing into the mountains and had loaded up with high-fat foods in anticipation. The mystery of his death deepens.

真正讓人驚訝的是」冰人」的胃裡有46%的動物脂肪。現在唯一吃這麼多脂肪的人是那些在惡劣條件下準備進行劇烈運動的人。邁克斯納博士和津克博士認為，在這種情況下，」冰人」的同時代人已經計算出了脂肪的價值，而」冰人」本身並不是一個自發的逃亡者，而是計劃冒險到山裡去，並預先準備了大量高脂肪的食物。他的死亡之謎加深了。