Peat bogs
The peat bogs of Northern Europe have been a source of human remains and artefacts that give us an insight into the lives of our ancestors. Many of the bogs are thousands of years old and bodies buried in peat decay at a very slow rate. Peat is made up of partly decayed vegetation and organic material and is found in areas of acidic boggy ground. The bog water interacts with the acids to produce tannin and other chemicals that preserve bodies. In addition, peat bogs are very high in carbon dioxide (CO2). The absence of oxygen stops the bodies from decaying at a normal rate.
In modern times, peat has been dug up and dried then burnt for fuel. It is also used as a garden fertiliser. |
Bog bodies
The bog bodies are of people who have been buried or have fallen into the bog and have been trapped there while still alive. Some of these bodies are a thousand or more years old. Because of the preservative qualities of the bog, tissues, even soft organ tissue, stomach contents, hair, nails, and clothing are frequently preserved well enough for forensic analysis. Typically the stomach contents and traces of pollens, and the teeth and nails can be used to provide information about diet, health, age, and the time of year and location of the body when the person died. Clothing is particularly welcomed; we have very little iron age clothing, and textiles are often assoicated with bog finds.
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