Grayson West
Ice has a strange way of keeping secrets. For centuries, layers of snow and frost locked away remnants of people, animals, and objects that once thrived in harsh mountain areas. As glaciers retreat, these traces reappear, still carrying the marks of daily life and survival. What follows are some of the most remarkable discoveries revealed as the ice continues to melt.
Frozen Baby Mammoths
In Siberia’s permafrost, melting ice has revealed remarkably preserved baby mammoths, including one named Yuka, found with fur, organs, and even liquid blood still intact. These Ice Age giants died tens of thousands of years ago, yet their bodies remain so well-preserved that scientists have studied their diets, migration patterns, and even attempted DNA extraction.
Otzi The Iceman
Scientists made history in 1991 at the Tisenjoch pass when they found Otzi, perfectly preserved in Alpine ice. The 5,300-year-old mummy’s final meal included ibex meat and einkorn wheat, yet his most significant possession was a copper-bladed axe. His clothing and equipment remained remarkably intact.
Prehistoric Skis
The skis themselves tell the story. Found at Digervarden in Norway, one shaped from birch and the other from pine, they date back roughly 1,300 years. Their extraordinary preservation (bindings still in place) makes them the most complete pair ever recovered and invaluable for understanding early skiing techniques.
Scaring Stick Flags
In 2023, archaeologists in Breheimen National Park uncovered two 1,500-year-old “scaring sticks” about 20 meters apart. Each was a wooden pole with a movable birch-bark flag, designed to flutter in the wind. Hunters planted dozens of these in long lines to funnel reindeer toward concealed archers or pitfall traps.
The Lendbreen Wool Tunic
Discovered in 2011 on Norway’s Lendbreen ice patch, this wool tunic dates to AD 230–390 in the late Roman Iron Age. Its diamond-twill weave and patched sleeves reveal long use and repair. Among Norway’s oldest garments, it illuminates everyday clothing from nearly 1,700 years ago.
Dunhuang Silk Banner
Near Dunhuang in China’s Gansu Province, archaeologists recovered a silk banner more than 2,000 years old, preserved in permafrost conditions. Its vivid patterns and delicate weaving survived because of the constant cold. The banner demonstrates how fragile textiles can endure in freezing temperatures.
Yukon’s Ancient Atlatl
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, melting ice revealed a 9,000-year-old throwing dart shaft, part of an atlatl system used long before the bow and arrow. Preserved wood of this age is exceptionally rare. Its survival shows how ice safeguarded fragile hunting technology for millennia until rediscovery.
Norway’s Oldest Shoe
What you wear today won’t last centuries, but one tiny leather shoe did. Preserved in Jotunheimen’s ice since 1800–1100 BCE, it resurfaced in 2007. Sized for a woman or youth, the shoe was found near arrows and a wooden spade from ancient hunters.
Remains Of A World War I Soldier
In the Italian Alps, melting glaciers near the Presena Pass uncovered the mummified body of a World War I soldier, complete with uniform, gear, and personal items. Preserved in ice for over a century, the soldier likely died during high-altitude combat between Italian and Austro-Hungarian forces.
Quartz-Tipped Stone Age Arrow
At Norway’s Langfjorden ice patch, arrow shafts up to ~6,000 years old were found, some with arrowheads still attached. The finds include materials such as bone, slate, and quartzite. They are evidence of early reindeer hunting in high-altitude terrain across millennia.