The oldest tattoos in the world belong to an ancient iceman.

Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old mummy has tattoos grouped across 19 body parts, and researchers in Italy revealed a ‘new’ tattoo on the iceman earlier this year, bringing the total count up to 61.

It has long been disputed that the тιтle could belong instead to an unidentified South American Chinchorro mummy, but scientists have now confirmed that Ötzi’s are the oldest.

The oldest tattoos in the world belong to an ancient iceman. Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old mummy has tattoos grouped across 19 body parts, and researchers in Italy revealed a ‘new’ tattoo on the iceman earlier this year, bringing the total count up to 61

Fresh examinations of the South American mummy, which has a mustache-like tattoo around its face, show that this specimen is much younger than previously believed.

Scientists once thought this mummy died around 4,000 BC, according to The Independent, but now they know this is not the case. Ötzi, the Tyrolean iceman, died much earlier, around 3250 BC.

‘I was surprised by the findings because in previous publications I brought attention to the tattooed Chinchorro mummy and its early date,’ Lars Krutak, who was involved in the research, told Smithsonian Science News.

‘But after reviewing the facts, we were compelled to publish the article as soon as possible to set the record straight and stem the tide of future work compounding the error.’

It has long been disputed that the тιтle could belong instead to an unidentified South American Chinchorro mummy, but scientists have now confirmed that Ötzi’s are the oldest. Fresh examinations of the South American mummy, which has a mustache-like tattoo around its face, show that this specimen is much younger than previously believed

Scientists once thought this mummy died around 4,000 BC, according to The Independent, but now they know this is not the case. Ötzi, the Tyrolean iceman, died much earlier, around 3250 BC. Ötzi and his tattooed rival are not the only known specimens to have ancient ink. Hundreds of others have also been found across the world, though none as old as the iceman so far

Ötzi and his tattooed rival are not the only known specimens to have ancient ink. Hundreds of others have also been found across the world, though none as old as the iceman so far.

Still, researchers believe they will find even older tattoos as investigations progress. The origin of tattooing in human culture is different to locate, and scientists are exploring the significance of this ancient practice.

‘Apart from the historical implications of our paper, we shouldn’t forget the cultural roles tattoos have played over millennia,’ Krutak told Smithsonian Science.

‘Cosmetic tattoos—like those of the Chinchorro mummu—and therapeutic ones—like those of the Iceman—have been around for a very long time.’

‘This demonstrates to me that the desire to adorn and heal the body with a tattoo is a very ancient part of our human past and culture.’

Researchers believe they will find even older tattoos as investigations progress. The origin of tattooing in human culture is different to locate, and scientists are exploring the significance of this ancient practice. For years, investigators struggled to get an agreed upon number for Ötzi’s tattoo count

WHO WAS  ÖTZI

Ötzi, (artist’s impression) was 46 when he died, and measured 5ft 2 inches. He had brown eyes, and tests have revealed he was lactose intolerant

The 5,300-year-old ‘ice mummy’ known as Ötzi suffered from the world’s first-known case of Lyme disease, a bacterial parasite spread by ticks, according to DNA analysis.

Ötzi, who was 46 at the time of his death and measured 5ft 2inches, had brown eyes, relatives in Sardinia, and was lactose intolerant.

Ötzi was also predisposed to heart disease.

Recent research focused on the DNA in the nuclei of Ötzi’s cells, and it could yield further insights into the famous ice mummy’s life.

Ötzi was unearthed in September 1991 by German tourists trekking through the Oetz Valley, after which he was named.

Researchers examining the contents of his stomach worked out that his final meal consisted of venison and ibex meat.

Archaeologists believe Ötzi, who was carrying a bow, a quiver of arrows and a copper axe, may have been a hunter or warrior killed in a skirmish with a rival tribe.

Researchers say he was about 159cm tall (5ft 2.5in), 46 years old, arthritic and infested with whipworm – an intestinal parasite.

His perfectly preserved body is stored in his own specially designed cold storage chamber at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Italy at a constant temperature of -6°C. Visitors can view the mummy through a small window.

Alongside his remains is a new Ötzi model created using 3D images of the corpse and forensic technology by two Dutch artists – Alfons and Adrie Kennis.

For years, investigators struggled to get an agreed upon number for Ötzi’s tattoo count.

Using special lenses that capture different wavelengths of light, a team in Italy was able to detect even the most obscure of the black-line tattoos.

The most recent find reveals a tattoo of four thin, stacked black lines on the lower side of Ötzi’s right ribcage, according to LiveScience.

Over time, the mummy’s skin has darkened, making the black tattoos difficult to trace.

 Using special lenses that capture different wavelengths of light, a team in Italy was able to detect even the most obscure of the black-line tattoos. The most recent find reveals a tattoo of four thin, stacked black lines on the lower side of Ötzi’s right ribcage

While researchers can’t be sure why Ötzi had the tattoos, many think that they served as a form of acupuncture.

‘We know that they were real tattoos,’ Albert Zink, the study’s senior researcher and head of the Insтιтute, told LiveScience. The ancient tattoo artist who applied them ‘made the incisions into the skin, and then they put in charcoal mixed with some herbs.

The tattoos, mostly found on Ötzi’s lower back and legs, between the knee and food, may have been a way to relieve the effects of chronic pain or injuries.

Ötzi was thought to do a lot of walking in the Alps, which could have resulted in joint pain in his knees and ankles.

The 61st tattoo, found on the ribcage, has researchers wondering if Ötzi also suffered from chest pain. This pain may have even been a ‘referred’ pain, indicating pain in a place distant from the actual site of the pain.

If the tattoos were not for therapeutic benefit, the researchers say they could have had symbolic or religious significance.