Tollund Man
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Who was the Tollund Man?
The Tollund Man, discovered in 1950 in a peat bog in north-central Denmark, is a notable bog body from the Iron Age (500 BCE to 400 CE). He lived between 405 and 380 BCE. The Tollund Man's corpse was discovered by two brothers cutting peat for fuel.
He was likely hanged, as evidenced by a leather rope around his neck. His body was well-preserved, with only his arms and hands resembling a skeleton. Examiners concluded that he was between 30 and 40 years old and approximately 1.6 meters (5.3 feet) tall at the time of his death. The Museum Silkeborg in Silkeborg, Denmark, displays the Tollund Man.
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Where and how was the Tollund Man discovered?
In 1950, two brothers, Viggo and Emil Højgaard, discovered the Tollund Man while cutting peat for fuel in a bog near Bjældskovdal, about 10 kilometers west of Silkeborg, north-central Denmark.
The remarkably preserved corpse was found roughly 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) deep in the peat bed, curled in a fetal position with a rope around his neck. The brothers believed they had found a recent homicide victim and alerted the local police, who, along with representatives from the Museum Silkeborg, determined it was an accidental archaeological find. The Tollund Man is now on display at the Museum Silkeborg.
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What is a bog body, and why are they well preserved?
A bog body is a human corpse that has been naturally mummified in a peat bog. These bogs are typically anaerobic environments, meaning they lack oxygen, which prevents decay. Bogs are also rich in tannins, naturally occurring chemicals also used for tanning leather, that help preserve organic material. The soft tissues and contents of the digestive tracts are preserved because of these conditions.
Tollund Man, discovered in Denmark, is one of the most well-preserved bog bodies from the Iron Age.
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How old is the Tollund Man and what period did he live in?
The Tollund Man lived between 405 and 380 BCE, which was during Europe’s Iron Age (500 BCE to 400 CE). He was discovered in 1950 in a peat bog in north-central Denmark. Examination of the body suggests he was likely hanged. The Tollund Man is among the best-preserved bog bodies from the Iron Age and is on display at the Museum Silkeborg in Silkeborg, Denmark.
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What did scientists learn about how the Tollund Man lived and died?
The Tollund Man, discovered in a Danish peat bog in 1950, lived during Europe’s Iron Age, between 405 and 380 BCE. Examination of the body, one of the best-preserved bog bodies ever found, revealed he was likely hanged, indicated by a leather rope around his neck. Although his vertebrae were intact, the cause of death was determined to be suffocation rather than a broken neck.
His last meal consisted of fish and porridge. At the time of his death, he was between 30 and 40 years old and approximately 1.6 meters (5.3 feet) tall. The well-preserved state of the Tollund Man has offered researchers a clear insight into human life during the Iron Age. Some speculate he may have been a human sacrifice, given that he was buried rather than cremated, a common practice at the time.
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Why is the Tollund Man important for understanding Iron Age life and rituals in Denmark?
The Tollund Man, discovered in 1950 in a peat bog in north-central Denmark, lived during Europe’s Iron Age (500 BCE to 400 CE). His remarkably well-preserved remains provide a clear window into human life during this period.
The Tollund Man is important because his body wasn't cremated, unlike most bodies from the time, which has led to speculation about the circumstances of his death. Some researchers propose he was a human sacrifice, given the ritual significance of peat bogs where sacrificed animals, clothing, and weapons have been found. The discovery of the Tollund Man, along with other findings, indicates that valuable objects and people were offered in bogs. The leather rope around his neck suggests he was likely hanged.
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Tollund Man, notable bog body—that is, a mummified human corpse preserved by the unique natural chemistry of peat bogs—discovered in the Bjældskovdal Mose, a peat bog in north-central Denmark, in 1950. The Tollund Man lived between 405 and 380 bce, amid Europe’s Iron Age (500 bce to 400 ce), and he was likely hanged, noted by the presence of a leather rope around his neck. Though several hundred Iron Age bog bodies and skeletons have been discovered in Denmark, the Tollund Man is among the best preserved, and the remains offer researchers a strikingly clear picture of human life during the period. The Tollund Man is on display at the Museum Silkeborg in Silkeborg, Denmark.
Discovery, excavation, and autopsy
The corpse were discovered on May 6, 1950, by two brothers, Viggo and Emil Højgaard, from the village of Tollund. The two men had been cutting peat for fuel in a bog near Bjældskovdal, an area roughly 10 km (6.2 miles) west of the town of Silkeborg, when they encountered the mummified body in the peat bed (see also mummy). The skin was leathery brown, an effect caused by a chemical reaction that produces thick layers of acidic sphagnum moss and covers the corpse (the moss releases a carbohydrate called sphagnan when it dies, which halts the growth of bacteria). The corpse was curled up in the fetal position with a rope wound tightly around the neck, suggesting that the Tollund Man had been hanged. The corpse was unclothed except for a skin cap secured around the chin by two thin leather straps and a leather belt around the hips. His head and face were incredibly well-preserved, and even short-cropped facial hair could be observed. Because of the body’s relatively fresh appearance, the Højgaards believed that they had discovered a recent victim of homicide, and they alerted the local police. The Tollund Man had been buried roughly 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) into the peat, and, since the site showed no signs of recent disturbance, police and representatives from the Museum Silkeborg determined that the brothers had made an accidental archaeological discovery.
A group made up of police, museum employees, and the two discoverers initially excavated the body so that it could be transported. They constructed a wooden box around the remains and the surrounding peat substrate and transported the whole construction by horse-drawn carriage to Moselund and then by train to Copenhagen’s National Museum, where further excavation and an autopsy were performed. The remains were separated from the peat and photographed extensively before being sent to Bispebjerg Hospital to be autopsied. Despite being hanged, the corpse’s vertebrae were still intact, though damaged. Examiners also extracted the contents of the Tollund Man’s stomach and intestines, discovering that he had eaten fish and porridge for his last meal. Though he had shrunk somewhat during 2,300 years of burial, they concluded that he had likely been about 1.6 meters (5.3 feet) tall during his life. He was between 30 and 40 years old at the time of his death.
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Analysis
Most bodies during the period were cremated in large funeral pyres. The fact that the body of the Tollund Man had not been has prompted speculation about the circumstances surrounding his death. Early conjecture proposed that he could have been a criminal, and his being buried and not cremated indicates some distinction. Some researchers suggest that he may have been a human sacrifice, pointing to the possible ritual significance of peat bogs (a number of “gifts”—sacrificed animals, clothing, and weapons—have been found in the same bogs).