Ötzi’s Tinder Fungus

http://www.donsmaps.com/otzi.html

This is a tinder fungus, Fomes fomentarius which is used to start fires. It is ground to a fine powder and is used as tinder with flint and Iron Pyrites. The flint is struck on the Iron Pyrites, which creates a spark, which with care can be made to land in the prepared fungus and blown to an ember. This was a standard method of starting a fire in the Neolithic.

The tinder fungus in the pouch of Ötzi contained iron pyrites particles, but no Iron Pyrites was found with Ötzi.

If it is hammered flat, it can be turned into something like felt. It can then be kept smoldering, allowing the user to transport fire easily from one place to another.

Photo taken by Don Hitchcock at the traveling exhibition of the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW Australia February 2008