On the morning of May 3, 1983, an eight year old Irish boy named Sean O’Leary wandered around a peat bog, accompanying his father who worked nearby in the fields. He was completely clueless to the secrets the mud was holding. As he explored the bog he encountered upon what he claimed was a forgotten toy. Once home when presented the object to his father, they realized the “forgotten toy” was a cadaver’s hand! Unbeknownst to them, this well-preserved body part came from a body that had been buried in a swamp a thousand years earlier, a common practice at that time all across Northern Europe. What can be learned about the culture and rituals of early northern Europe from the preserved bodies of these so-called bog people? What theories best explain the deaths of the bog people? What are some of the most important similarities and differences found among the bodies? With a better knowledge of the history of millions of people stake, these questions merit further discussion.
These cadavers found among all Northern Europe are known as the bog bodies. They were mainly found in Ireland, England, Germany, Holland, and Denmark. Over 2,000 bodies and body parts have been found in Europe’s peat bogs. What is unique of these cadavers is that they were naturally mummified. Fungi and bacteria break down dead body’s tissue but the conditions such as acidic water, low temperatures, and lack of oxygen in the bogs prevent them from growing The most famous bodies are the Tollund Man, Grauballe Man, Windeby Girl, Lindow Man, Damendorf Man, Yde Girl, Karwinden Man, Huldremose Women, Gallagh Man, Elling Women, Haraldskaer Women, Koelbjerg Women, Clonycavan Man, and Oldcroghan Man. Many of the bodies still look as if they had recently died although; ...
... middle of paper ...
...mbs.com/market/books/bog/bodiesfrombog.htm>.
Deem, James M.. Bodies from the bog. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1998. Print.
"Deviants and the Bog: the Bog Bodies of Northern Europe." Deviants and the Bog: the Bog Bodies of Northern Europe. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Dec. 2013. .
Lobell, Jarett. "Tollund Man." Archaeology May. - Jun. 2010: 1. Print.
"Tales from the Bog." Tales From the Bog. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2013. .
"The People of the Bog." National Geographic 1 Aug. 1997: 5. Print.
"The People of the Bog." National Geographic 1 Aug. 1997: 5. Print.
Wilcox, Charlotte. Mummies & their mysteries. Minneapolis: Carolrhoda Books, 1993. Print.
Wilcox, Charlotte. Bog mummies: preserved in peat. Mankato, Minn.: Capstone High-Interest Books, 2003. Print.
The crime scene was located in a deer hunting area in a meadow. There were several different types of trees and foliage surrounding the area where the skeletal remains were discovered. The...
Pulling his beaten, tattered, and unclothed body from the water, the shilup, begins his journey into the bad hunting grounds. Every step is filled with the pain from briars, thorny trees, chestnut burs. The sun never shines and cold winds are always present. Every spirit encountered is an enemy with no safe place to take refuge. Food is scarce, due to unfertile soil, and hunger is constant. The bad hunting grounds are perpetually lonely, with only the joyous sounds coming from the other side of the mountains. The doomed spirits constantly struggle to climb the treacherous mountains, but to no avail. They are eternally destined to an afterlife of desolation (Campbell 1959:149-52).
The Etruscans settled northwest of Latium and are regarded as one of “the most remarkable people of early Italy”. Although the origins of Etruscans are a mystery, archaeological sources such as artifacts reveal the material culture of the Etruscans civilizations. The Votive ear is associated to the Etruscans religious tradition known as Votive offerings. Votive offerings can be defined as the purpose of “offering body parts at a shrine as a means to seek help from a deity to alleviate an afflicted organ or region of the body”. Although we inte...
The Arctic is an area above the imaginary line of the Arctic Circle, which is latitude 66.6° north (Smith, 2009). This is a hostile and unforgiving place, with freezing temperatures and 24 hours of darkness in winter (Smith, 2009). Nevertheless, one particular place of interest is Devon Island, which has many seasonal hunting grounds such as Cape Liddon – see exhibit one. Although Devon Island is uninhabited today, past settlers survived harsh conditions by exploiting coastal and inland resources for thousands of years. Interestingly, between 1982 and 1987, archaeologists found 163 sites on the island (Helmer, 1991). These sites contained thousands of animal bones, various stone and bone tools dating back 4500 years (Helmer, 1991). Coincidently, the multipurpose ulu knife – see exhibit two – originates from the similar time period, which is traditionally used for processing animals for food and clothes (Crowell & Prusinski, n.d.). Also, it is believed that indigenous people created carvings such as small face masks, for interacting with spirits (Zságer, 2010). Funnily enough, a modern day mask – see in exhibit three – looks similar to a 3500 year old ivory face mask found on Devon Island (CMCC, 2013). Nonetheless, today some people call this traditional ecological knowledge, which refers to knowledge, beliefs and practices, in sustainable use of ...
2. Brothwell, Don R., (1963) Digging up Bones, the Excavation, Treatment and Study of Human Skeletal Remain’s. London British Museum of Natural History.
Clarke, D., & Maguire, P. (200). Skara Brae: Northern Europe's best preserved neolithic village ; (p. 14). Edinburgh: Historic Scotland.
Vikings were a Norse-speaking, seafaring people who lived from the 8th to 11th centuries, mainly in Scandinavia. They were expert sailors who, starting in late 700s, looted and burned civilizations along rivers and coasts of Europe and Asia. They traded, sailed and explored across the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, opening trade routes that connected Europe to the Mediterranean lands. During this time, some of the population settled in the kingdoms that they were exploring; namely England, Ireland, northern France and Russia. One of the main influences that the surrounding cultures had on them was through religion. As the Vikings came in contact with Christianity through their raids, it began to form a unique fusion of Christian influence, while still holding on to many aspects of their pagan lifestyle. Not many primary sources remain from pre-Christian Viking society as much of their culture was destroyed during the Christianization process. The extremely strong oral tradition and the artifacts that remain are what the knowledge of the culture is based on. The pagan culture interests me, as I can still examine influences of it on my Scandinavian family today.
Chamberlain, Andrew, and Pearson Michael Parker. Earthly Remains: The History and Science of Preserved Human Bodies. New York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print.
Bibliography:.. Bibliography 1) Bloch, Raymond. The Etruscans, New York, Fredrick A. Praeger, Inc. Publishers, 1958. 2) Bonfante,. Larissa. Etruscan Life and Afterlife, Detroit, Wayne State University Press, 1986. 3) Grant, Michael.
Perhaps the most notorious of burial practices originating in Egypt is that of mummification. Why such an extraordinary attempt was made to preserve cadavers may seem
Based on skeleton examination, cave-paintings and mummies the study of prehistoric medicine tells that the surgical experience dated with skull trepanning, male circumcision, and warfare wound healing. In prehistoric tribes, medicine was a mixture of magic, herbal remedy, and superstitious beliefs practiced by witch doctors. (Dobanovacki, et al 28).
After looking at the art belonging to the Upper Paleolithic period Handprint at Pech-Merle, Dordogne, France it is safe to say that artists had a sense of ownership of their art. In the piece there were found several hand prints, which was a common thing for the Paleolithic art (Pech-Merle, 29). Based on a different work of art presenting in the book and during class lectures it is clear that the social hierarchy was not defined very well back then. It seems that people were all doing the same thing collectively as a community, looking for resources to make food, tools and some art. The cave paintings are a significant source proving how art was a part of everyday life routine, it was a hunting ritual. According to the textbook “Henri Breuil, believed such hand prints may have been made during initiation ceremony”(Pech-Merle,30). Perhaps, the hand prints on the painting indicated the spiritual connection between the hunter and the animal.
A central theme in all ancestor worship is that the lives of the dead may have supernatural powers over those in the living world-the ability to curse, give, or take life (Carteret). In some cultures, worship of the dead is important, and includes making offerings of food, money, clothing, and blessings. For example, in China, there is the annual observance of “sweeping the graves” and as its name suggests, it is a time for people to tend the graves of the departed ones (Carteret). In cultures where ancestor worship is common, the acceptance of organ donation and cremation may be
Inuits were first introduced to Westerners in the Thirteenth century. The encounters began between the Norse colonists on Western shore and Inuit hunters. During the 17th and 18th centuries, traders returned to Europe with many artifacts from the Inuits. They also took these indigenous people as slaves, stolen from their native land to be put on display. The Inuits were viewed as heavy but happy people surviving in a rough environment. These i...
Through the ages there has been many different religions served the followers with the sense of a meaningful life and made “hope possible rather than despair convincing.” Even in prehistoric religions, archeologists have found remains from the Middle Paleolithic Period burial sites that consist of the “corpses accompanied by stone tools and parts of animal” that were laid in the burial site (Britannica 2). Some of the impressions of the corpses were buried with the tools in their hands, implying that they needed them in their after-life. This shows that even these primitive humans and societies had some concept of an after-life, which implies a primitive religion that the people of the Paleolithic Era.