Relic the Copper Ax

By Bill Copeland,

The story is set in central Europe 5300 years ago from the northern Alps of Italy to the eastern lands along the Danube River to Vinca, the earliest European Bronze Age civilization. Otzi is the chieftain of a south Tyrollean late stone age tribe scrounging for a living in the high mountains. To support his village he travels on foot to trade with the people on the north side of the mountains. He returns after a long trip to his family and village with a big backpack full of goods, his wife Mara tells him the wheat Fields has failed. He and his son Anise must hunt to get through the winter.

As a youth he took a trip he took down the Danube to Vinca where he met his father's brother and family who prospered raising goats, farming, and hunting. There meets his First wife, joins the hunting for the huge wild bison, and is told the secret of smelting copper, given a few small copper ore stones to help him Cind more. He brought his bride back up the Danube but she died during the birth of his son Anise.

Desperate to find a way to support his family after the failed wheat crop, he searched the neighborhood for copper ore but found none. A northerner agrees to get copper ore from Tuscany in the south and trade for goats. With the good ore, he is able to make copper, but the copper has never been seen before, is regarded as evil knowledge, and results in a Cight to save his life from the judgment of the shaman.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bill Copeland,
• Release date: May 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005552008

Bill Copeland,

BILL COPELAND, B.A, M.S. Cybernetic Systems, has an extensive technical and writing background. For his master thesis, he led a group which produced a detailed report on the development requirements for a space habitat. He led development groups at pioneering organizations, such as NASA, Hewlett-Packard, Tibco, and SAP. He managed multimillion-dollar systems development projects for government and industry, including 3-D rocket inspection systems, satellite signal acquisition, internet development, and financial control systems. He spent many years at pioneering world-class high-tech software and hardware companies in the Silicon Valley. He wrote a series of books which helped major corporations boot-strap the application of powerful financial systems, 3-D rocket inspection systems, satellite signal acquisition, and internet development. He has been a cybernetics engineer and holds a Patent “Airborne Stereoscopic Imaging System. He has also been a video producer and teacher.He has written two science fiction books, Birth of the Cosmic Swan and Cosmic Swan.. As the Silicon Valley Science Reporter, he produced science videos on astronomy and cosmology, including three on the Cosmology Revolution. These videos are available at CosmicSwan.com.

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Copyright © 2021 by Bill Copeland.

ISBN-978-1-989942-39-0 (sc)

ISBN-978-1-989942-38-2 (eBook)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

SPECIAL THANKS TO MY TWO EDITORS:

ELIZABETH MOON AND FRAN MACILVEY.

***

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my father, John Timothy Copeland, Jr. who returned in 1945 from Army Air Corp. service in Saipan from 1943 to 1945. One of my earliest memories was when I was about 4 years old. I loved to sit with him on the second floor balcony of the old farmhouse where we lived. We looked out into the dark hills of Spring Valley. We’d hear a sound. What is that? he would ask. When I didn’t know, he would tell me that’s the freight train going around the hill, or that’s grandma’s goat bleating, or that’s a mourning dove cooing.

Contents

MEET THE MAN

A HANDFUL OF ROCKS

ANDERS FROM THE NORTH

YOUNG OTZI’S TRIP TO VINCA

VINCA

GOATS

COPPER SMITH

BORKA’S RANCH

MARRIAGE TO VANA

SACRED GROVE

LEAVING WITH HIS BRIDE

WADING FOR ROCKS

ANDERS RETURNS

ANDERS’ TUSKONA TALE

COPPER FROM ROCKS

THE COPPER AXE

THE AX HANDLE

RUBE STEALS AX

CHASING RUBE

FOUR ANGRY NORTHERNERS

KALINA

OTZI HEADS HOME

OTZI JUDGED

BABY OTZI AND A NEW AX

APPENDIX

PREFACE

Otzi’s mummified body was found high in the Italian Otzal Alps near the Austrian border. For details of what the researchers know about where the body was found, how old it is, the place of the copper ax in archaeological history, and where its ore came from, go to the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Bolzano, Italy. A permanent display has been there since 1998. A lot of detailed images, facts, and analysis about Ötzi can be found at their website: https://www.iceman.it

This story is written to conclude with the circumstances of Otzi’s discovery; the details of his health at the time of his murder, what he was carrying when he died, where he was lying, what he was wearing, what he had in his backpack, and especially the most unexpected find, his copper ax. How could there be an implement made of copper when copper was not known to be used in that area until centuries later?

One could imagine that the first person to bring the technology of copper smelting to his region could be considered like Prometheus, who mythically brought fire to mankind. According to the Greek myth, Prometheus lived on Mt. Olympus with the other immortals. He had a special fascination for the natural dance and deep throated song of flames. On the Mount Olympus, the gods enjoyed fire as conventionally as we do today. He saw the pleasure and pain fire gave to the gods. He, as other gods, explored other planets including the Earth. Prometheus was familiar with how miserable people on Earth were, and could see that the very thing they needed was what he had to give — fire.

So he took the secret down to people and became their hero and their god, because the well-being of mankind improved greatly and the families and tribes grew large in their new-found warmth. Of course, he was punished for his transgression by Zeus.

Otzi the Iceman, or someone like him, might have had a promethean role for the sparsely populated region of central Europe, where the people lived stone age lives. This story describes how he brought copper to the people of his region from faraway Vinca in eastern Europe where working with copper was know in his time. Such a gift might have awakened a new way of thinking. They didn’t need to accept their lives — their hunting, their defense, their food, and their tools — as they had been for hundreds of thousands of years.

RELIC

THE COPPER AX

THE TRAGIC STORY OF OTZI THE ICEMAN

MEET THE MAN

The bearded man in his late forties wore a hide coat made from strips of leather stitched together with animal sinews. His face was weathered, but his brown eyes were piercing. His hand rested on a flint dagger sheathed in leather that hung from his hip. He had wild dark hair and tanned olive skin. His name was Otzi. A heavy backpack hung on his shoulders. It is early summer and he was returning from a strenuous trading trip north of the Italian alps.

He looked down the hill to see a wide, green meadow surrounded by pine-covered hills and snow-capped mountains. Tall trees cast long shadows ahead of him and in the cool breeze, the leaves rustled and sang like the ocean tides. Otzi loved to walk, to travel, to see new worlds, to meet new people and learn of their crafts, customs, and stories. Despite his long hike from the north, there was a graceful power to his stride as he walked along a well-worn, dirt path leading to Gallo, his village. The village was made up of small, thatched dwellings with white mortar over rectangular stone walls. Animal skins hung over entrances and windows.

Otzi looked down eagerly on his village for his dwelling. He heard children playing. Finally, in the distance he picked out two of his children, Zaki, 4, and Dorva, 6. Seeing them and the happy sight of home, he belted out a shrill ‘I’m home’ yodel. Dorva caught a glimpse of the man coming toward them and erupted with joy, doing her best to yodel back, then ran to the field behind the house. Mama! Anise! He’s home! Papa is home!

Mara, 30, and Anise 15, looked up from harvesting a scraggly patch of wheat. Anise was a handsome young man with a wispy adolescent beard. He leaned on a long stick to walk due to his misshapen left foot.

The two children ran toward their Papa. He scooped them up into his arms and gave them a big three-way hug.

Dorva breathlessly asked, What did you bring, Papa? Be patient, my dear children.

Honey cakes, honey cakes, Papa, Zaki chanted.

You have to wait and see.

As Otzi approached the door to their home, Mara hurried to greet him, slapping her hands together to knock off dirt and straw. He embraced her, kissed her gently, then pushed back a little to look at her belly, when he noticed a small bump. Putting his wide brown hand on her stomach, he looked at her inquisitively.

Dear Mara. Are we having another baby?

Yes, my dear husband. The shaman says that it will be a son.

He laughed happily through tears as he hugged her and swung her around. He is always wrong.

Anise snuck up behind his father and punched him in the shoulder. His father turned and the two men sized each other up, before Otzi hugged him heartily. Welcome home, Papa. I shot a young wild goat with my bow yesterday. I skinned it and mama skewered it for roasting.

Son, you have done well.

With a dejected voice, Anise said, The wheat crop has failed. So we’ll hunt and fish my boy! We will trade for grain.

Zaki said, I got some pretty rocks from the stream to trade. Otzi looked down as Zaki held out his hand full of shiny rocks.

Very pretty. I can use them. Otzi put them in his satchel. Hey kids, my legs ache and I’m cold. Let’s go in by the hearth and I will show what my trading over the mountain got us."

With a grunt, he peeled the heavy backpack off his back and dropped it by the hearth.

Later, as Otzi and his family relaxed in front of the fire, he opened his satchel to reveal his cargo; two thumb-sized carved animals, a bear cub and a long horned goat, semiprecious gemstones, rock salt, honey cakes, and two strange shoes made from leather and twisted rope.

He picked out the carved animals. Which one do you want?

Zaki said, excitedly, I want the goat, daddy. I like the big horns.

Then the goat is yours. Dorva, would you like the cute bear?

Thank you daddy, I like the bear. She gently picked it up and held it in front of her eyes and kissed it.

Otzi carefully took out two honey cakes and put them on the table. The children excitedly dug into them.

Mara looked at Otzi’s new leather and rope shoes curiously stuffed with straw. What are these?

For walking in the snow, Otzi said. He demonstrated by putting one on his foot. See?

What did you trade for them? she asked.

A Northerner took three chert arrowheads.

Shaking her head, she said, "I was hoping for a deer skin. You know, winter is coming soon.

Mara, trust me. They are very practical in my trade. They will keep my feet from freezing in the snow.

With more important thoughts on her mind, Mara moved next to him, took his hand, and placed it on her stomach. He has started to kick.

Otzi said, He’s big for three moons old. As if to greet his father, the baby kicked.

Mara said, Did you feel that, Otzi? He is happy to hear your voice.

A smile broke across his face. He knows me already?

He? She said to tease him. You said the shaman is always wrong.

They both smirked. They knew this is the beginning of a running joke between them.

Neighbor Rube poked his head in the door. He was a tall man, strong in body, but not in mind. He lived up the village path. He wore a beat up fox skin cape over his shoulders and a goatskin cap on top of his long, oily hair. Rube asked, Did your trading go well? Did you get a good exchange for my flint cutters?

Oh, yes, and I found the fox-head hat you wanted. Otzi reached deep into the backpack and puled it out.

Rube sniffed. It’s not ready to wear. I’ll have to trim it and clean it. It smells like a long dead fox.

With a hint of irritation, Otzi answered, "Yes, Rube, it is a long- dead fox, but it will look good when it’s cleaned up. Bjorn’s wooden bowls and beakers were easy to trade, as were Sodal’s little clay oil lamps. The short woven-grass tunics were popular with the women. Apart from that, I’ll have to return some items to villagers."

My oak-wood knives?

Here are your knives.

This one is cracked.

Sure. That’s how you gave it to me.

Maybe I should go next time. I’m sure I’ll do better. Are you home for good, Otzi, or are you going off again?

I’m not trekking over the mountains again. I’m getting too old.

Otzi was not happy with Rube hanging about, especially when he was away. Rube regarded himself as a friend of the family, but he was not Otzi’s friend. He was a noisy busy-body who poked his nose into whatever Otzi and the family were doing. And he held a grudge against Otzi, believing Mara should be his wife.

Otzi said, Thanks for coming over, Rube. Give us some privacy, now. I haven’t seen the family in a month."

Rube shuffled out reluctantly.

Feeling tired, Otzi leaned back to rest his shoulders on the wall of the hut, watching the two kids with love and pride, as they munched honey cakes and played with their carved animals. Oh, Anise, he said, This flint dagger and sheath are for you.

Anise took them, pulled the dagger out and admired it. It’s a good one. Thanks dad.

You’re welcome, number one son.

Mara stepped away from the hearth and asked her husband, What did you bring me?

He reached into his satchel and pulled out a grass basket and opened it. This basket, and obsidian buttons — see, they are little turtles. Also, here are leather slippers for you — oh, and I bring a lot of my love. Give me a kiss, darling wife. She wiped her hands off, smiled big, sat on his lap, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and gave him a soft and lingering kiss.

A few days after Otzi returned, he stood with Mara and Anise in their wheat field, looking over the failing crop. Shaking his head, he asked, Was that bag of seeds I brought home bad? The field shows barely as much grain as we put in.

Papa, Anise says, "the seed was not very good, but we also had too much rain. Some of