BBC - Rescuing Frozen Artefacts

Due to increasing global temperatures, ice in mountains across the world is melting at an unprecedented rate. The increased thawing of alpine ice has revealed unique organic (wood, bone, fabric, twine, etc.) artifacts that aren't normally encountered by archaeologists. While ice patch artifacts offer valuable information to archaeologists, it is a race against time as they begin to decompose quickly after being exposed. The study of ice patches also provides detailed records of past alpine and regional climates that can help provide a context for prehistoric life, and help us examine our modern impact in these areas. This story, written and photographed for BBC World News, was published in 2019.

More stories on alpine and ice patch archaeology can be found under the 'Editorial' tab.