Oetzi the Iceman
© AFP/APA/File

PARIS (AFP) - Analysing samples of his more then 5,000-year-old Neolithic clothing, "we found the hairs came from sheep and cattle, the type of animals herdsmen care for during their seasonal migrations," said Klaus Hollemeyer of Germany's Saarland University and lead researcher of the study.

Specifically, his coat and leggings were made from sheep's fur and his mocassins were of cattle origin, according to the study, published in the journal Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry.

Hollemeyer told AFP that the method used to study the samples -- known as MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry -- was faster and more reliable than methods based on DNA analysis.

"This method could for example be used in checking the purity of products made from animal hair, such as Cashmere wool," he said.

It could also prove particularly useful to clothes manufacturers next year when the European Union enforces a ban on dog and cat fur trade.

Hollemeyer said that DNA sampling was less reliable, specially in processed furs or animal wool, as DNA can be destroyed during tanning, bleaching and colouring.

"The same often happens with archaeological samples stored under non-optimal conditions," he added.

MALDI stands for Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization. TOF is the "time-of-flight" type of mass spectrometer most widely used with MALDI.

"The method is fast, can be done within a few hours and is reliable," Hollemeyer said.

©AFP