The Tollund Man

The Tollund Man (died c. 405–380 BC) is a naturally mummified corpse of a man who lived during the 5th century BC, during the period characterised in Scandinavia as the Pre-Roman Iron Age. 


He was found in 1950, preserved as a bog body, near Silkeborg on the Jutland peninsula in Denmark. The man's physical features were so well preserved that he was mistaken for a recent murder victim. Twelve years before his discovery, another bog body, Elling Woman, was found in the same bog.

The cause of death has been determined as by hanging. Scholars believe the man was a human sacrifice, rather than an executed criminal, because of the arranged position of his body, and his eyes and mouth being closed

How the Tollund Ma ln Was Discovered

On 8 May 1950, peat cutters Viggo and Emil Hojgaard discovered a corpse in the peat layer of the Bjældskovdal peat bog, 12 km (7.5 mi) west of Silkeborg, Denmark, which was so well preserved that they at first believed they had discovered a recent murder victim.

The Tollund Man lay 60 m (200 ft) away from firm ground, buried under 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) of peat, his body arranged in a fetal position.

 He wore a pointed skin cap of sheepskin and wool, fastened under his chin by a hide thong, and a smooth hide belt around his waist. Additionally, a noose made of plaited animal hide was drawn tight around his neck and trailed down his back.

 Other than these, the body was naked. His hair was cropped so short as to be almost entirely hidden by his cap. There was short stubble (1 mm (0.039 in) in length) on his chin and upper lip, suggesting that he was usually clean-shaven, but had not shaved on the day of his death.


The Tollund Man was approximately 40 years old. The Tollund Man's last meal consisted of a porridge with barley, flax, wild weed seeds, and some fish.

Summary.

The "Tollund Man" is a 2,400-year-old marsh body and human sacrifice victim from the Iron Age, found at Bjældskovdal in Denmark.  His body was so well preserved that even after 2,400 years, scientists could still take his fingerprints and determine what he had last eaten.

Source: Wikipedia

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