Bog Bodies !
Bog bodies are preserved human bodies found in Sphagnum bogs in Ireland,Great Britain and Northern Europe . Bog bodies, due to their unusual surroundings retain their skin and internal areas. Highly acidic water, cold temperature and lack of oxygen are responsible for severely tanned preserved bog bodies.Bog bodies retain their skin but the bones are usually not well preserved and in most of the cases not preserved at all.
This happens due to acidic in the peat which dissolves the calcium phosphate of bones. Bog bodies retain intricate details such as tattoo marks and fingerprints.Fingerprint expert C.H Vogelius Anderson was astonished to see that the fingerprints on a Bogman was clearer than his. one of the Bogman's stubble and facial hair was also well preserved!
The bogs are preserved by a completely saturated acidic environment and there should be considerable organic acids and aldehydes present.Sphagnum and peat assist in preserving the cadavers by enveloping the tissue in a cold immobilizing the matrix, impeding water circulation and oxygenation.
An additional feature of this airless preservation is that it can preserve hair, clothes and leather.A good example of this is the Bronze age egtved girl.Some of the bogs have survived for 2,500 years.Most of the bodies have been found in some state of decay.Many specimens may have been destroyed when they were exposed to normal atmosphere.
Britain, Ireland, Northern Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and southern Sweden are some countries in which bogs were found.
Records of such bogs date back to the 18th century!
The earliest bog body is that of a Koelbjerg woman dating back to 3500BC!
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