Thousand-year-old mummies: the mystery of the “bog bodies” of Europe has been explained

Scientists have come close to unraveling the mystery of the “bog bodies”, hundreds of which have been discovered in northern Europe. We are talking about “conserved” corpses, naturally mummified in peat bogs. These people have been buried in wetlands for more than 7,000 years – and most of them ended up with grisly deaths, the study found.

Bog bodies have fascinated both scientists and the general public for decades, writes the British Daily Mail. Archaeologists have examined more than 1,000 bodies from 266 sites across Europe.

The preserved corpses – naturally mummified in a peat bog – give a glimpse of life thousands of years ago. Now a new analysis reveals that most of these people met a gruesome end before being deliberately thrown into the wet, spongy marshland.

While some bog bodies are renowned for being extremely well preserved – such as the Lindow Man found in a peat bog in Cheshire – this is only a small fraction of what has been found.

The researchers also analyzed the skeletons and partial remains of the bones, skin, soft tissues and hair of the marsh people.

Dr Roy van Beek of Wageningen University in the Netherlands said: “Thousands of people met their end in the swamps, only to be found again centuries later in peat-cutting. Well-preserved specimens tell only a small part of this much larger story.”

According to the researchers, the study of all types of bog bodies shows that they are part of a thousand-year-old, deeply rooted tradition.

This phenomenon began in southern Scandinavia around 5000 BC and gradually spread throughout northern Europe.

Most seem to have met a gruesome end, including ritual sacrifices, executions and violence. Causes of death included blows to the head, cuts or stab wounds, hanging or strangulation.

Sources also point to a significant number of victims of accidents among the marsh people, as well as suicides.

In an article in the journal Antiquity, the team of scientists stated: “Leaving aside accidental deaths, significant evidence of violent deaths and a large number of reused sites suggests with confidence that most of the finds of human remains … reflect deliberate burials.”

The researchers also found that the swamps were “hot spots” – wetlands where the remains of many people were found. In some cases, these finds reflect a single act, such as a mass burial of people who died in battle.

Other swamps were used over and over again, and human remains were accompanied by a wide range of other items such as animal bones, bronze weapons, or jewelry, which are believed to have been ritual offerings.

“Overall, the exciting new picture that is emerging is one of age-old, diverse and complex phenomena, telling many stories about important human themes such as violence, religion and tragic loss,” added Dr. Roy van Beek.

The Lindow Man, the best-preserved peatbog body found in Britain, still had distinct facial features and even hair and beard when it was excavated in 1984. Examination of the remains showed that he was about 20 years old, he was of medium height, well built and in good health and lived about 2000 years ago. A closer examination showed that he suffered from intestinal parasites and his last meal was unleavened bread. Theories as to how he was killed include blows to the head, strangulation, or a possible stab wound to the neck before being thrown face down into the waters of a peat bog.