Lindow Man
The body in the bog continued
(quoted from the British Museum Education Service
Publication)
How did he die?
…. There was clear evidence of several injuries which showed that he
had been deliberately killed. He had been struck twice on the head, probably
with a narrow axe. A thong around his neck appears to be a garrotte; his
neck was broken. There was also a slit in his throat, perhaps to bleed
him, since the other injuries were more than enough to kill him. The body
was then put into the bog.
Who was he?
We cannot know exactly who he was, without documents: we cannot know
his name, or be certain about the language he spoke, or the people or tribe
to which he belonged. There is no inscribed tombstone and no wallet full
of personal documents. But there are some clues from the body itself. The
electron microscope showed that his fingernails were very smooth, not chipped
or battered; clearly he did little physical work. His well-manicured fingernails,
and the generallt good state of his health when killed, suggest that
he was someone quite priviledged, perhaps a noble or chieftain.
For more info:
The British Museum
Science
At Work
Bog Bodies
of Europe |
