Bogged Down: A Discussion of European Bog Bodies

Figure 1: Tollund Man, a Bog Body found in Denmark (Source: Smithsonian Magazine)

When you hear the term ‘mummy’ your mind might wander to the great Egyptian mummies or perhaps the ice mummies of Peru, but the reality is that mummies exist around the world and are formed by both natural and anthropogenic (man made) processes.  Because mummification is more commonplace than one might realize there are pockets of mummies and mummification practices that can be found around the world.  Today’s blog post addresses one such pocket: the Bog Bodies of Europe.  This blog post will discuss what Bog Bodies are and their significance to the bioarchaeological record of European populations.

Bog Bodies is a term used to characterized naturally mummified remains found in peat bogs throughout Europe (Figure 1).  Peat bogs provide optimal conditions for mummification of various tissues as the anaerobic, acidic environments of the peat bogs “freeze” the remains at the time of the disposal, often times preserving the entire corpse and anything associated with it (e.g. clothing and other artifacts).  It is important to note that ancient populations were not intentionally mummifying their dead.  It is believed that the bodies were dumped in peat bogs as an easy, potentially quick means of disposal or for specific ritual purposes, and the spontaneous mummification of the remains was an unintended consequence of the chosen disposal spot. 

Bog Bodies were first discovered throughout Europe in the 18^th century and continue to be discovered periodically today.  They were commonly discovered by peat-cutters, who harvested peat from the bogs for fuel.  Unfortunately, many of the Bog Bodies were destroyed through this process as they were viewed as haunting or unnecessary, which caused a loss of information pertaining to the Bog Bodies themselves and the practices associated with them.  Thankfully, there have been a number of Bog Bodies recovered and studied by anthropologists, and these anthropologists have managed to collect information about the individuals and the mortuary practices related to Bog Bodies.

Anthropologists have gained quite a bit of knowledge from the Bog Bodies.  First, it appears that men, women, and children were subject to being disposed of in bogs.  It is not quite clear as to why corpses were placed in bogs, although one theory suggests that there may have been a ritual component attached to the practice.  This based on the staking of some Bog Bodies into the bog, thereby prohibiting their removal.  The artifacts associated with the Bog Bodies have provided great insights into the trade practices of ancient European groups, demonstrating long distance trade was common.  Insights into the cultural practices related to clothing and hair styles have also been gleaned.  Bog Body autopsies have provided insights into the diets of the people of the past, which is consistent with other archaeological studies in the matter (e.g. largely plant based with some meat). 

Ultimately, while there is quite a bit known about the Bog Bodies discovered thus far there remain mysteries, too.  As study of the Bog Bodies continue we will learn more not just about the individual Bog Bodies but also the cultures associated with them.  Given the great geographical scope of the Bog Bodies it is unlikely that there will be many similarities among them, but each new discovery provides the opportunity to learn more about the individuals and their associated culture.

Bibliography

Kelly, E. (2013). An archaeological interpretation of Irish Iron Age bog bodies.Archaeol Violence Interdiscip Approaches, 2, 232.

Lynnerup, N. (2010). Medical imaging of mummies and bog bodies–a mini-review. Gerontology, 56(5), 441-448.

Omar, S., McCord, M., & Daniels, V. (1989). The conservation of bog bodies by freeze-drying. Studies in Conservation, 34(3), 101-109.

Van der Plicht, J., Van der Sanden, W. A. B., Aerts, A. T., & Streurman, H. J. (2004). Dating bog bodies by means of 14C-AMS.Journal of archaeological science, 31(4), 471-491.

Villa, C., & Lynnerup, N. (2012). Hounsfield Units ranges in CT-scans of bog bodies and mummies. Anthropologischer Anzeiger, 69(2), 127-145.