Posted on 11/05/2005 3:47:36 PM PST by blam
Death renews iceman 'curse' claim
Should working with Oetzi carry a health warning?
The death of a molecular biologist has fuelled renewed speculation about a "curse" connected to an ancient corpse. Tom Loy, 63, had analysed DNA found on "Oetzi", the Stone Age hunter whose remains were discovered in 1991.
Dr Loy died in unclear circumstances in Australia two weeks ago, it has been announced, making him the seventh person connected with Oetzi to die.
Colleagues and family of Dr Loy have rejected the notion that he was the victim of a "curse".
It is not known how many people have worked on the Oetzi project - and whether the death rate is statistically high.
The amateur climber who found Oetzi in 1991, Helmut Simon, was killed during an unexpected blizzard in the Alps last year, not far from the original find.
His body was missing for eight days before it was located.
Within hours of Mr Simon's funeral, the head of the mountain rescue team sent to find him died of a heart attack, aged 45 and apparently in good health.
Four other people associated with Oetzi have died, prompting rumours of a "mummy's curse":
Rainer Henn, 64, a forensic pathologist who handled the body. He was killed in a car crash the following year
Kurt Fritz, the mountaineer who led Dr Henn to the body. He was killed in an avalanche shortly after Dr Henn died
Rainer Holz, 47, a filmmaker who made a documentary about removing the body from its block of ice. He died of a brain tumour soon afterwards
Konrad Spindler, 66, an archaeologist who was a leading expert on the body. He died of complications related to multiple sclerosis.
Scoff
Dr Loy's brother Gareth said the two had never talked about a curse - and that Tom Loy had been in poor health, with a condition that caused his blood to clot.
An inquest into Dr Loy's death was inconclusive, ruling out foul play but unable to determine if he had died of natural causes, an accident, or both, Gareth Loy told The Australian newspaper.
An unnamed colleague of Dr Loy scoffed at the idea of a curse, the newspaper reported: "He didn't believe in the curse. It was just superstition. People die."
Yep any every body dies with in 6 months of their birthday too.
Previously Posted:
Cursed Deaths Of Mummy (Sixth Person Connected To Discovery Of Oetzi The Iceman Dies)
Hey, Oetzi!
How'd you get so funky?
Could be some disease which nobody's had for 5000 years...
Are you sure that these people didn't have something to do with Bill Clinton?
That was my first speculation when I saw the headline, but I don't know what kind of disease would cause people to die of a blizzard, an avalanche, a car accident, and a heart attack.
Then how does anyone ever reach toddlerhood?
You've not met my ex-wife.
You have my condolences.
Ya' know, evey spring I always find dried-up dead mice in my sheds and bee hives. Am I in danger of meeting an untimely end for disturbing their eternal resting places? Maybe the mice can inflict some curse like eczema or atheletes foot on those who disturb their rest...
what a load...
Cool post. I love this weird, coincidental/unexplained x-files type stuff.
Unfortunately anyone else who has worked with Funky Oetzi is running around paranoid.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
If that's the case, then you're dealing with a curse and not a disease. Diseases don't work that way.
Why would the Iceman curse them? I'm sure he's glad they found his thawy butt!
> Are you sure that these people didn't have something to do with Bill Clinton?
This is "alpencide", not "arkencide."
If you die at 80 or 6 months you die with in 6 months of your birth day.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.