January 7, 2006

Slow-cooked bog bodies.

Mummified by peat moss. We learn some interesting things about these well-preserved people from 2,000 years ago. One used "a type of Iron Age hair gel; a vegetable plant oil mixed with a resin," and another was "horrifically tortured before death."

9 comments:

Fiona de Londras said...

Yes - we Irish were a savage people (or so the English told us anyway!!). Actually this find is really significant for us here in Ireland - it's more or less going to lead to a rewrite of Irish history. Prior to now we had little more than information about farming and what people ate. This is going to help us to understand our history much better. People are excited!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this link, it's pretty amazing all around. Can you imagine finding these bodies, with those grins. People or Mole People?

Looking at the dark and disfigured bodies, though, I cannot help but be reminded of the 12 coal miners in West Virginia that died of asphyxiation in carbon monoxide and coal dust. Could this have been prevented had Bush not been cutting back on MSHA's budget (even after praising MSHA after the Que Creek miracle?) and after filling MSHA with cronies and industry executives more interested in profits than safety?

Please read David Sirota's take, especially the 2002 warning to Bush written when Sirota worked for the House Appropriations Committee. Or Mother Jones take, equally devastating.

Glad to hear you're going to go out and live in the real world. That's a wonderful New Year's resolution, and I congratulate you and support you 100%. Welcome Back!

SippicanCottage said...

This is not news. I have conversed with many a pickled Irishman.

I forget what wag said it, but: God put peat in Ireland because he figured it was the only place people would be drunk enough to try to burn mud.

mtrobertsattorney said...

Once again, we see an example of the Western Judeo-Christian imperialism running roughshod over an indigenous people and stamping out what once must have been a vibrant and delightful cultural practice.

CCMCornell said...

I remember seeing a TV special on bog people. There was one found in Denmark called Tollund Man who was found with a rope around his neck.

Strangely enough, this didn't remind me of something related to GWB. Instead, I thought of an episode of Monk (Mr. Monk and the Red Herring.) During the investigation, Monk stops by a museum and sees what appears to be a preserved, prehistoric man. After looking at the body for a few seconds, he says to his friend Natalie:

M: "This man didn't freeze to death - he was murdered. There's a puncture wound on the side of his skull."

N: "It was over 30,000 years ago."

M: "Well, there's no statute of limitations on murder."

Here's a screen capture.

knox said...

"Strangely enough, this didn't remind me of something related to GWB"

LOL

Steven Taylor said...

Kirk,

No--it wasn't just you.

S

Trailady said...

I'm glad they found them! Maybe we can learn some important things about Irish history that we didn't know before? Sad that it appears they were cruelly tortured! Are they sure these men didn't die in battle?

CCMCornell said...

Losing your nipples in battle?