Posted on 08/05/2006 12:19:38 PM PDT by blam
More pieces of hidden bog book found
More fragments of an ancient manuscript concealed in a Co Tipperary bog over 1,000 years ago with a view to later recovery, have been found by the National Museum of Ireland, writes Seán Mac Connell
The discoveries also include a fine leather pouch in which the manuscript was originally kept.
Museum experts have excavated the site at Faddan More, in north Tipperary, since the discovery of the manuscript last month by excavator driver Eddie Fogarty.
He found the book on July 20th while digging peat on a bog owned by brothers Kevin and Patrick Leonard, according to a statement issued by the museum last night.
It said archaeologists and conservators had completed excavation of the area where the ancient manuscript was found. It described the find as "an extremely significant discovery".
"The site was excavated over seven days by archaeologists and conservators from the National Museum of Ireland.
"Part of a fine leather pouch in which the book was kept originally was recovered as well as other small fragments of the manuscript and its cover. The investigation results suggest the owner concealed the book deliberately, perhaps with a view to its later recovery," the statement noted.
"All the excavated material is now being conserved and analysed in the National Museum of Ireland and samples of the peat surrounding the find spot have been sent for specialist analysis," it said.
The area around Faddan More bog is rich in medieval history. Of particular relevance are important monastic foundations such as Lorrha and Terryglass in Co Tipperary and Birr and Seirkieran in Co Offaly, which are located nearby.
A leather satchel was found in the same bog six years ago and has been radiocarbon dated to between the 7th and 9th centuries AD.
© The Irish Times
Just make sure you read this ahticle with an Irish brogue accent in your mind, don' you know.
Why don't we ever hear of bogs and/or peat in North America?
Alaska has lots of them, but most are frozen in permafrost. Around here, peat is called "muskeg." Some of the bogs are quite deep. My sister and I were stuck in muskeg when we were quite small, and had to be rescued.
Peat's too busy picking a peck of pickled peppers.
We call them swamps or marshlands/grass and moss.
Here's a good source regarding the history of peat production in Ireland - Bord na Móna
The Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia is a peat bog.
Aye, and would you be believin' that this very day I've spent as Maggie O'Brian Ueul at Fort Randolph, telling me stories of life on the frontier. Ahh, twas a balmy good day for it too.
Ah, the Leprechauns of spelling have attacked me tagline.
Psalm 83:
1 O God, do not remain quiet;
Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still.
2 For behold, Thine enemies make an uproar;
And those who hate Thee have exalted themselves.
3 They make shrewd plans against Thy people,
And conspire together against Thy treasured ones.
4 They have said, "Come and let us wipe them out as a nation,
That the name of Israel be remembered no more."
5 For they have conspired together with one mind;
Against Thee do they make a covenant:
6. The tents of Edom and the Islmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal and Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined with them;
They have become a help to the children of Lot.
9 Deal with them as with Midian
As with Sisera and Jabin, at the torrent of Kishon,
10 Who were destroyed at En-dor,
Who became as dung for the ground.
11 Make their nobles like O-reb and Zeeb,
And all their princes like Zebah and Zalumunna,
12 Who said, "Let us possess for ourselves
The pastures of God."
13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust;
Like chaff before the wind.
14 Like fire that burns the forest,
And like a flame that sets the mountains on fire,
15 So pursue them with Thy tempest,
And terrify them with Thy storm.
16 Fill their faces with dishonor,
That they may seek Thy name, O Lord.
17 Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever;
And let them be humiliated and perish,
18 That they may know that
Thou alone, whose name is the Lord,
Art Most High over all the earth.
I'm not sure that just any swamp will produce peat. Have you ever heard of even one person in the U.S. harvesting and burning peat? It seems to be a major fuel source in northern Europe. You never hear of any "bog people" here either.
The 7th to the 9th Century was a kind of "golden age" (if any age is) of Celtic Christianity. The church of Rome before this had not evangelized northern and even central europe--the first areas to sucumb in the collape of the Roman Empire.
It took independent Celtic missionaries, based in Ireland and Scotland, to bring Christianity to Germany and much of France...even down into northern Italy south of the Alps. Most of the tribes in this area were either out and out pagan, (worshiping demons and inanimate objects...animism) or Arian, a cult honored Christ but which denied His divinity.
This is covered, I am told, in the book "How the Irish Saved Civilization." Interestingly, many historians believe St. Patrick, of the 5th Century, may have never visited Rome, nor, they think, was he interested in support of the papacy. (ie. Patrick may not have been in fact, Roman Catholic) Don't tell the Irish Catholics though!
In the late 7th into the 8th Century (starting with an agreement in England in 664 at Whitby Abbey) the Celtic churches came under the authority of the strengthening Roman church, and Celtic missionary activity came to an end, as the Roman brand of catholicism moved into control of Christianity in northern Europe.
Some of the oldest 'bog people' in the world can be found in sunny Florida.
One of the oldest mummies in the world was found in a cave in Nevada, Spirit Cave Man
Bye, Bye Beringia (8,000 Year-Old Site In Florida)
*Skeletal remains of 169 people, split almost evenly between males and females, ranging from 6 to 70 years old. About 75 of the skeletons were relatively intact."
*90 intact human brains that include the oldest DNA samples in the World.
*Artifacts of wood, bone, and seed that were made into jewelry and tools, providing insight into the ancient peoples' lives.
*Tests showed the oldest skeletons were buried 8,100 years ago. The youngest was placed in the ground 6,900 years ago.
"To put this into context," Doran said, "these people had already been dead for 3,000 or 4,000 years before the first stones were laid for the Egyptian pyramids!"
Spirit Cave Man (9,400 years old mummy)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.