New study reveals that “Bog Bodies” may be part of a tradition that spanned millennia

An international team of Dutch, Swedish, and Estonian archaeologists has conducted a study of hundreds of ancient “Bog Bodies” found In the peat and wetlands of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Scandinavia, Poland, and other parts of Eastern Europe, revealing that they were part of a tradition that spanned millennia.

New study reveals that The well-preserved head of Tollund Man, who lived about 2,400 years ago. Credit: A. Mikkelsen; Antiquity Publications Ltd. CC BY 4.0

A bog body is a human corpse that has been mummified naturally in a peat bog. The bogs preserve materials such as hair, skin, nails, and internal organs because of the highly acidic water, low temperature, and lack of oxygen.

Archaeologists examine their skin, bones, clothing, belongings, and in some cases, their last meal. Researchers have now conducted the first comprehensive survey of bog bodies in order to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon.

The study reveals that the tradition of leaving bodies in European mires dates back millennia, from the Stone Age to modern times.

The researchers collected data on 1,000 bog bodies discovered at 266 different locations. They were able to determine the cause of death for 57 individuals, 45 of whom died as a result of violence. The most violent deaths occurred during two time periods: 5200 BCE to 2800 BCE and 1000 BCE to 1100 CE.

Some are possibly the remains of ritualistic sacrifices, such as Denmark’s exquisitely preserved 2,400-year-old Tollund Man; others are likely the burials of deviants or executed criminals; and still others are likely the result of accidental deaths, such as drownings in these watery environments.

The study also revealed that examples of bog body H๏τspots may be identified in wetlands where the remains of several people have been discovered. In other cases, these discoveries are the result of a single act, such as the mᴀss burial of battle ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.

Other bogs were used several times, and the human remains were accompanied by a wide range of other items interpreted as ritual offerings, ranging from animal bones to bronze weapons or ornaments.

New study reveals that Bog mummy of a young woman found in 1936 in Rabivere, Estonia. She died in the 17–18th century. Credit: Estonian National Museum

Such bogs are interpreted as cult places that must have played an important role in local communities’ belief systems. Another category is that of ‘war-booty sites,’ when large quanтιтies of weapons are discovered with human remains.

“The fascinating new picture that emerges is one of an age-old, diverse, and complex phenomenon, that tells multiple stories about major human themes like violence, religion, and tragic losses,” said Doctor Roy van Beek of Wageningen University, co-author of the study.

“Literally thousands of people have met their end in bogs, only to be found again ages later during peat cutting. The well-preserved examples only tell a small part of this far larger story.”

The study was published in the journal Antiquity:

More information: Van Beek, R., Quik, C., Bergerbrant, S., Huisman, F., & Kama, P. (2023). Bogs, bones and bodies: The deposition of human remains in northern European mires (9000 BC–AD 1900). Antiquity, 1-21. doi:10.15184/aqy.2022.163

Related Posts

Intact 7th century Etruscan tomb discovered in San Giuliano necropolis near Rome

Intact 7th century Etruscan tomb discovered in San Giuliano necropolis near Rome

An astonishing archaeological discovery has been made in the San Giuliano Necropolis, located in the Marturanum Regional Park near Barbarano Romano, central Italy. The Baylor University team,…

British archaeologists uncover lost Egyptian city of Imet with rare tower houses and temple to cobra goddess Wadjet

British archaeologists uncover lost Egyptian city of Imet with rare tower houses and temple to cobra goddess Wadjet

Archaeologists from the University of Manchester and the University of Sadat City, Egypt, uncovered the ancient Egyptian city of Imet, buried under Tell el-Fara’in—also known as Tell…

DNA reveals female-centered society in 9,000-year-old Neolithic city of Çatalhöyük

DNA reveals female-centered society in 9,000-year-old Neolithic city of Çatalhöyük

Recent genetic research has shed light on the social structure of Çatalhöyük, a large Neolithic settlement in the center of Turkey that flourished over 9,000 years ago….

Rare 1,800-year-old Roman soldier’s wrist purse unearthed in Czech Republic reveals life on the empire’s frontier

Rare 1,800-year-old Roman soldier’s wrist purse unearthed in Czech Republic reveals life on the empire’s frontier

Archaeologists in South Moravia in the Czech Republic uncovered a rare Roman military discovery—a fragment of a bronze wrist purse that is the oldest such discovery ever…

Ancient Roman breakwater found off Bacoli shows ingenious engineering at imperial fleet base

Ancient Roman breakwater found off Bacoli shows ingenious engineering at imperial fleet base

In an underwater recovery operation off the coast of Bacoli in southern Italy, archaeologists have uncovered a Roman-era breakwater constructed from recycled architectural materials — a find…

Enigmatic Carnac megaliths reveal Europe’s earliest monuments

Enigmatic Carnac megaliths reveal Europe’s earliest monuments

A groundbreaking archaeological study has determined that the renowned Carnac stone alignments in Brittany, France, may be one of Europe’s oldest megalithic landscapes, dating back to ca….