Posted on 08/14/2021 7:36:06 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Even though the 30- to 40-year-old human was buried in a bog more than 2,400 years ago, the acidic peat has mummified his body to a remarkable degree, preserving his hair, brain, skin, nails, and intestines - even the leather noose around his neck...
Roughly a day before the Tollund Man was hung and buried in the bog, researchers say he ate porridge, containing barley, flax, and seeds from plants and weeds.
That's similar to what scientists found in the early 1950s, when the body was first unearthed in what is now modern Denmark. But unlike past analyses, this one has also noticed a few new ingredients, like the fatty proteins of fish as well as remnants of threshing waste, which comes from separating grain...
The Grauballe Man was also killed and buried in an acidic bog, and the similar contents of his last meal to the Tollund Man's last meal may indicate a ritual of sorts.
While other bog bodies appear to have eaten porridge or bread with a side of meat or berries, threshing waste and an abundance of seeds might indicate a special occasion. Either that, or these ingredients were simply added for flavor or nutrition...
While other bog bodies found might have fallen dead or drowned in the peat by accident, the way the Tollund Man was killed and then carefully buried, with his eyes and mouth closed shut and his body in a fetal position, has some scientists thinking he was a sacrifice to the gods...
Some Roman historian accounts from the time have even written about similar human sacrifices in northwestern Europe, although these were often biased reports that might have stretched the truth about certain tribes.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencealert.com ...
It was snow. And the ttin man and scarecrow did not fall asleep, as they were unaffected by the poppies. Only Dorothy, Toto, and the lion fell asleep.
Last meal similar to this?
“- Jacques: Last request! I have a last request!
- Citizen Official - The French Revolution: What is your last request?
- Jacques: Novocaine!
[the Official confers with the Executioner]
- Citizen Official - The French Revolution: There is no such thing known to medical science!
- Jacques: I’ll wait!”
-Mel Brooks
Good thing I’m not on Jeopardy, having to respond to that answer. The Theme Song (written by Merv Griffin) plays, comes to an end, followed by a loud buzzer!
The kids weren't all that impressed with the museum (as if anything at their ages could compete with the Legoland at Billund we were to visit next), but it was awesome for me to just sit there for a good while and stare into his face and marvel at how life-like this 2400 year old man was. Perhaps it was the peaceful look on his face, a short distance away through the glass. I felt a kind of "connection" with him, though I know that sounds weird.
Yes! And how well rested!
I see what you did there.
Poor choice for one's last meal.........
That was supposed to be “put out the fire” ... we don’t have spekchek here, do we? If not, senior moment.
LOL
LOL
He got that while he was in Burma.
The bodies had been there so long, their discovery came as a surprise. Not as surprising as the last couple of days of the lives of the victims though.
The sacrifice worked! Denmark is a world power!
That may have been the common repast for those folks at that time. It was a common combo during the Middle Ages, particularly during the Little Ice Age.
That’s why this guy’s killers choked him, no risk of any last request shenanigans. ;^)
I first encountered it, uh, I’m resisting doing the math here, but anyway, in my teens, P.V. Glob’s book “The Bog People”. Hmm, sez here that was first in English in 1969, I probably saw it in 1972 or ‘73. I’ve got a copy around here somewhere, probably bought it used sometime prior to 1980. I would have been interested in it just from the euphony of the title and author’s name, which turns out to be Peter.
I’m also still a big fan of Lego, btw. :^) I wonder about the DNA in these bog remains, it would be interesting to see if they’ve got living relatives.
Or it might indicate they just weren't very good at threshing.
They had their moments. :^) Speaking as I was earlier of DNA, British Isles genetic genealogy nearly always reveals a nice fat minority percentage of Scandinavian DNA.
Apparently the mail is a little slow reaching this Science Alert website because I saw the “Bog Man” in the British Museum more than 30 years ago and they were postulating then that he had been victim of a ritual human sacrifice.
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