The Bog People: Iron-age Man Preserved

I read this book--which is still on my bookshelf--some time ago. It stuck in my memory. The author both describes and explains the bog mummies that have been discovered in various parts of northern and central Europe. These bodies--some of which show striking preservation--are invariably found in peat bogs characterized by high levels of tannic acid. I have some experience with hide tanning by use of plant extracts. Plant material--of which bark is probably the best choice--is steeped in water which leaches out the brown-colored tannins in the plant tissues. The hide, after adequate preparation, is soaked in this tannin-water for six months or more. Done correctly, this technique produces a durable, tanned hide in which the collagen fibers of the dermis have been chemically altered to a stable form. Prior to tanning, hide preparation requires the removal of all soft tissue. In some cases, however, I have left small quantities of muscle and connective tissue adherent to the skin. Not so remarkably, these soft tissue fragments also 'tan' because they also have collagenous matrices. Something like this--probably combined with low temperatures--happened to the bog mummies. Some of the bodies were exposed to tannic acid solutions for over 2,000 years and were preserved almost exactly like a tanned hide. Some of the cutaneous features of these mummies--as in the haunting Tollund Man--show incredible detail down to wrinkles, beard stubble and facial expression. It must be remembered, however, than skin--because of it's high collagen content--tans, and is preserved better than other tissues. In many cases the cause of death has been determined and many of these Iron Age mummies show evidence of ritual human sacrifice. The preservation has been so perfect in some cases that autopsies have been performed, revealing Spring pollens and plant materials in the victims' stomachs. Some of these people may indeed have been victims prepared for the fertility sacrifices of Spring. Causes of death included strangulation, throat cutting and, I think, in some cases, blunt trauma. Murder can't be ruled out in some cases but, in most cases, the bodies seem to have been deliberately staked out in a bog. Why a bog? To hide a body? Maybe. Because bogs are the places of mysterious spirits and gods. Maybe. Ron Braithwaite, author of novels of the Spanish Conquest of Mexico--'Skull Rack' and 'Hummingbird God'.

They are called the Bog People--these remains found in peat bogs in Denmark in the early 1950's. P.V. Glob gives us this story as a direct request of schoolgirls in England in the early 1960's. Asking for more information, the girls wrote: "We would like to know where he (the Tollund man) is now because we want to visit him when we are older." After sending some print-outs, Glob received yet another letter: "We like hearing about these people because it is amazing how well they have kept." THE BOG PEOPLE is his response to these curious girls. If you are thinking circus at this point, you have captured that trait of man fascinated in the really weird things of life. When I taught "Beowulf the Epic," I included stories and photos from this book and displayed them through use of an opaque machine. Some students were so mesmerized they would leave their seats to examine the photos up close. What the reader/viewer finds in these photos is an extremely bizarre preservation of these mummies with such detail, one can see eyelids, fingernails, blood vessels, hair, skin pores, and, yes, finger prints. Even the stomach contents of Tollund Man (shown on the cover) are preserved and include clover, rye, buttercup, yarrow, nightshade--it is believed to be a sort of vegetarian soup. A noose was also found around Tollund Man's neck. Historians believe he was part of a ritual killing for sacrificial purposes. There are other remains, now in museums, that depict other details of life a thousand and more years ago. What preserved these people for so long--unbeknowst to the preservers-- was the peat, whose properties in water prevent normal decay. (The other way is intentional mummification, of course, the method practiced by the Egyptians.) All in all, this book provides fascinating clues to the way of the life of man in prehistoric northern Europe. Plus, you get to gawk in the privacy of your own home.

This is a rather unusual book and well worth reading. Most of the time we read about remains being found in caves,tombs or graves under stone monuments,etc. In this case, there is a real departure in that they are found in wet bogs. Although, at the time these bodies were placed in the bogs,it was probably not known that the acidic properties wound result in their unbelievable preservation. These bodies were most likely "buried" in the period of 200 B.C until 200 A.D. This period was during the early Bronze Age and in the northern and western part of Europe. Civilization was not near as well developed here as in southern Europe when Rome was at its height of development. The author describes a few of the remains and tries to show who these people were and why they were interred in bogs.This occurred over a wide area and at many locations. There seems to be two main reasons why remains were placed in these bogs. Some were obviously murdered,sacrificed,hung or otherwise executed because of crimes,need of a victim for sacrifice, or because they were thought to be possessed,or otherwise evil. Many were staked to the ground to prevent them or their spirits from returning. Others were placed there because of their high ranking in the society.This was determined because those remains showed no evidence of wounds,mutilation or ropes around their necks or limbs.They were also accompanied with artifacts and or treasures. This book would probably not be considered a great or highly learned Archaeological effort. Be that as it may,it is a very interesting read and an insight into life at the time through a very different window. The author has included a large number of excellent photos;though it's a shame they are not in color. It is also of note, that it was first published in 1969 and is still in print.

A beautiful slim volume which should be on everyone's bookshelf. It is a disturbing and yet strangely moving book. However the text is woefully out of date and has a lot of misinformation on the Celts and their relationship with the trading systems of the North. It also lacks the modern theories of how and why these individuals were sacrificed. I highly recommend this book just as long as you don't use it as your only source of information on the Celts.

P. V. Glob's BOG PEOPLE is a concise and illuminating study of several exquisitly preserved bodies of Iron Age inhabitant discovered northern Denmark by peat diggers in the early 1950s.Glob, who was on the scene soon after the bodies were discovered, describes the remarkable condition of the bodies, then proceeds to explore the circumstances of their deaths. Glob's exposition gives us a look into the practice of ritual sacrifice in Iron Age northern Europe. Enhancing his discussion with studies of their last meals, the manner of death, the clothes and jewelry they wore as well as other bog artifacts, Glob introduces us to a brutal world where ritual sacrifice played a critical role in the spiritual life of Iron Age residents of modern day Denmark.The photographs and x-rays of the bodies are stunning. In particular, the haunting photos of the serene, delicately preserved Tolland man cast this study in an earthy yet unearthly light.