One of the numerous mummified remains found in the peat bogs that dot Denmark and northern Europe is GRAUBALLE MAN.
The combination of the highly acidic bogs’ low oxygen level and exceptional preservation of human remains over thousands of years makes it possible. Grauballe Man lived in Europe during the Iron Age sometime in the third century BCE, according to a number of dating techniques. His striking ginger hair has earned him a lot of notoriety.
Known collectively as “bog people,” bodies such as this one have been found by digging the peat used as fuel and building material for hundreds of years. Grauballe Man was discovered in 1952 and was the subject of what were then unprecedented efforts to preserve the body intact. A decision was made to subject the body to a further “tanning” process that allowed for continued preservation of the body after removal from the protective bog.
Like other bodies recovered from the bogs, Grauballe Man shows signs of violence indicating that he was killed rather than dying of natural causes. In this case, the Iron Age man had his throat cut in what is theorized to have been a ritualistic sacrifice, bogs and marshes were considered by Iron Age cultures as portals to the world of the gods through which offerings could be left. The unclothed body today is noted for its striking red hair, a color that is the result of immersion in the bog and not the natural color of hair Grauballe Man had during his life.
Related video The 2,000-Year-Old Grauballe Bog Man:
Source: 1stauditor.com
