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Bog Bodies

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The Handbook of Mummy Studies

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Abstract

This chapter reviews the unique group of mummies known as the bog bodies. The reader is provided with a review of the geographical distribution of bog bodies as well as the associated historical and cultural contexts. While some bog bodies were likely victims of accidental drownings, the chapter explores the possible alternate reasons why an individual may have been placed in a bog. The science of peat bogs is discussed with a focus on those characteristics of the bog environment that impacts bog body preservation. The varied characteristics of bog bodies are described with regards to the decalcification of bony structures and soft tissue preservation. Given the changes experienced by the bog bodies, analytical challenges are explored. The bog bodies known as the Weerdinge Couple are presented as a case study demonstrating the impact of mummification in the bog, the analytical challenges, the possible cultural implications, and the variability of preservation. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the challenges associated with the preservation and conservation of bog bodies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biomedical Sciences, Bioanthropology Research Institute, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT, USA

    Ronald G. Beckett

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  1. Ronald G. Beckett
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Correspondence to Ronald G. Beckett .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Bioanthropology, Paleopathology and History of Diseases, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Institute of Forensic and Anthropological Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (Republic of)

    Dong Hoon Shin

  2. New Mexico Health Enhancement and Marathon Clinics Research Foundation, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Raffaella Bianucci

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Beckett, R.G. (2021). Bog Bodies. In: Shin, D.H., Bianucci, R. (eds) The Handbook of Mummy Studies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3354-9_22

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