Who is Ötzi the Iceman? In 1991, a pair of German hikers stumbled upon a startling sight in the Ötztal Alps near the Austria-Italy border - a mummified corpse emerging from the melting glacier. What they had discovered was no ordinary mountaineer. This was Ötzi the Iceman, a 5,300-year-old natural mummy from
History & Folklore
Why Cordage Is One of the Most Essential Primitive Skills
In the world of bushcraft and survival, mastering the importance of cordage in bushcraft is nothing short of essential. Whether you're crafting tools, building shelter, or setting traps, cordage is the unsung hero of the wilderness. In fact, some of the earliest human innovations were only possible because of its development. Cordage refers
The Atlatl: a technological breakthrough in primitive hunting
Cover photo courtesy of Daniel Eskridge. Primitive hunting weapons: The Atlatl Most people tend to think of primitive man as hunting with either spear and bow and arrow. Although this isn't a false belief, many aren't aware of the atlatl. The atlatl dates back to the Upper Paleolithic period but could be even
Alexander Selkirk: The Greatest Survivor?
How to Survive Halloween
How to Survive the Halloween Apocalypse: The Halloween of the Blue Hunters Moon Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest. The following day was the new year and the beginning of the dark, cold winter. The Celts believed
Yag and the Gypsy story of Fire
Chapman: the unsung hero survivalist
Freddy Spencer Chapman Today (10th May, 2019) marks the 112th birthday of Freddy Spencer Chapman. You may be thinking ‘who?’ but you won’t be the only one! Freddy is arguably the greatest unsung war hero of all time. In fact, John Hudson, the UK military’s chief survival instructor, says that Chapman
Fridtjof Nansen: The First Crossing of Greenland
Fridtjof Nansen’s incredible crossing of Greenland took place 130 years ago. The Royal Scottish Geographical Society’s blog post by Jo Woolf has been adapted and condensed by Nick Allen. Fridtjof Nansen: The First Crossing of Greenland A few other explorers had previously attempted similar crossings of Greenland but without success. The Finnish explorer,