The awakening of Lindow Man
In 1984 at Lindow Moss, Chesire, England, two workers were cutting peat on the edge of Lindow Moss, when they came across a soft, round shaped object. Workers, Andy Mould and Stephen Dooley, had contacted the police thinking that it too was a recent murder however; they did not know that they had made a discovery, of the ages. Many archaeologists were rushed to the site and it was confirmed that the body was an inhabitant of prehistory. He was transported to the British Museum to be examined by a group of scientists who reported that, Lindow Man stood 168cm tall, well built, had a beard and moustache, and weighed around 60kg. He was in good health apart from suffering from worms and rheumatism. Lindow Man was a victim to a gruesome murder and we still investigate his death till today although, it is the best-preserved bog body, which has been discovered and rivals as one of the best archaeological discoveries of the decade.
Did you know? That the discovery of Lindow man prompted a local man to confess to the murder of his wife, who had mysteriously vanished 23 years previously.
Did you know? That the discovery of Lindow man prompted a local man to confess to the murder of his wife, who had mysteriously vanished 23 years previously.
Scientific Dating techniques used on Lindow Man
The main dating technique used to determine the age of Lindow Man was Radiocarbon Dating or C-14. Radiocarbon dating revealed that Lindow Man was apart of the Iron Age and had died over 2000 years ago (c. 2 BC-AD 119). Further examination of his intestinal contents revealed that his last meal consisted of bread and bran. This doesn’t allow us to hypothesize the season that he was born, and could suggest that he didn’t have a specific meal in order to be sacrifice. His violent death is also a characteristic of a murder although, could that be a type of sacrifice during the time of the Iron Age?
How and why did Lindow Man die?
Lindow Man was a victim of an extremely violent, gruesome and brutal death. Although, his violent death is convincing evidence of a murder, it could also be suggestive evidence of a sacrifice during the Iron Age. Forensic analysis identify that Lindow Man had suffered a big blow to the head from behind with an axe, and then struck in the back so heavily that one of his ribs had broken in the process. He knocked unconscious and was then garroted (murdered, finished) with a cord tied around his neck. To finish the job, his neck was then slit and let to bleed out before being dumped, face first into a pond in the bog. Although we still don’t know the context of his death, it is presumed that Lindow Man was a sacrificial victim although; we still don’t have evidence to what he was sacrificed for. Based on common sources a common practice was that sacrifices occurred in Spring however, the forensic evidence based on Lindow Man suggests a brutal death and does not give us any clues about the season of his death. The forensic evidence alone suggests murder, however, comparative evidence and practices of the time suggest that Lindow Man was indeed a sacrificial victim.
Facial reconstructions and artistic representations of Tollund Man
“A simple visual examination by the investigators revealed that Lindow Man was about 25 to 30 years of age, muscular at the peak of physical condition. He had brown ginger hair, a moustache and beard of similar colour, which was neatly trimmed. His hands were manicured and well cared for, so he apparently did no physical work. His neck and torso bore the marks of stab wounds.” – Toni Hurley, Philippa Medcalf, Christine Murray and Jan Rolph, Antiquity 1: Past Perspectives {Page 132} [Used 4/5/13]
Ancient source: Strabo and Tacitus. Was Lindow Man a sacrifice?
“The Romans put a stop both to these customs and to the ones connected with sacrifice and divination, as they were in conflict with our own ways: for example, they would strike a man who had been consecrated for sacrifice in the back with a sword, and make prophecies based on his death-spasms; and they would not sacrifice without the presence of the Druids. Other kinds of human sacrifices have been reported as well: some men they would shoot dead with arrows and impale in the temples; or they would construct a huge figure of straw and wood, and having thrown cattle and all manner of wild animals and humans into it, they would make a burnt offering of the whole thing.” – Strabo, Geography, 4.1.13
Strabo, another Roman author, writes about the customs of sacrifice during the time, which is around the time of Lindow Man’s death. He explains the severity and brutality of a sacrifice and the importance of Druids (high priests), whose sacrifices were violent and gruesome. Although, Strabo and every written source is of course not accurate, and is as well considered a contemporary source, much like Tacitus. However, Strabo does indicate the type of brutality that is used in the sacrifices at the time being the “they would strike a man who had been consecrated for sacrifice in the back with a sword” which is the exact way Lindow Man was violently attacked. Strabo’s content is considered accurate although, contextually it is completely impossible to tell.
“At fixed seasons all tribes of the same name and blood gather through their delegations at a certain forest… and after their publicly offering up a human life, they celebrate the grim ‘initiation’ of their barbarous worship. There is a further tribute which they pay to the grove: no one enters until he has been bound with a cord” – Tacitus, Germania, 39, 1-2
Tacitus simply explains a sacrificial ceremony as a barbarous worship, with a further tribute to the Gods; “no one enters until he has been bound with a cord”. The forensic analysis of Lindow Man’s death shows that he had been garotted with a cord, which Tacitus exemplifies in his account that it was the most important part of the barbaric ceremony. Tacitus’ ‘barbarous’ accounts apply to the gruesome death of Lindow Man and are accepted because they highlight the intense nature of his death. Much like Strabo, his account is acceptable contextually although we still don’t know for sure that any written source is reliable.
Strabo, another Roman author, writes about the customs of sacrifice during the time, which is around the time of Lindow Man’s death. He explains the severity and brutality of a sacrifice and the importance of Druids (high priests), whose sacrifices were violent and gruesome. Although, Strabo and every written source is of course not accurate, and is as well considered a contemporary source, much like Tacitus. However, Strabo does indicate the type of brutality that is used in the sacrifices at the time being the “they would strike a man who had been consecrated for sacrifice in the back with a sword” which is the exact way Lindow Man was violently attacked. Strabo’s content is considered accurate although, contextually it is completely impossible to tell.
“At fixed seasons all tribes of the same name and blood gather through their delegations at a certain forest… and after their publicly offering up a human life, they celebrate the grim ‘initiation’ of their barbarous worship. There is a further tribute which they pay to the grove: no one enters until he has been bound with a cord” – Tacitus, Germania, 39, 1-2
Tacitus simply explains a sacrificial ceremony as a barbarous worship, with a further tribute to the Gods; “no one enters until he has been bound with a cord”. The forensic analysis of Lindow Man’s death shows that he had been garotted with a cord, which Tacitus exemplifies in his account that it was the most important part of the barbaric ceremony. Tacitus’ ‘barbarous’ accounts apply to the gruesome death of Lindow Man and are accepted because they highlight the intense nature of his death. Much like Strabo, his account is acceptable contextually although we still don’t know for sure that any written source is reliable.
Scientific experts on Lindow Man
Video Link: Part A: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQwB9mdLzlc
Part B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chLJy2WEi7I
QED: The Body in the Bog (1985), reported and narrated by Ian Sturd deputy keeper at the British Museum, who was one of many caretakers during the investigation of Lindow Man. The video supports the theory of Lindow Man being a sacrificial victim of the time and emphasized the brutality of his wounds and the violent nature of his death. They investigate Lindow Man’s fingernails and emphasize that they were manicured and well cared for, so he apparently did no work. This could be important evidence of hierarchy, trade and technology at the time. It also confirms all injuries endured by Lindow Man and confirms that he was quite violently killed.
Part B: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chLJy2WEi7I
QED: The Body in the Bog (1985), reported and narrated by Ian Sturd deputy keeper at the British Museum, who was one of many caretakers during the investigation of Lindow Man. The video supports the theory of Lindow Man being a sacrificial victim of the time and emphasized the brutality of his wounds and the violent nature of his death. They investigate Lindow Man’s fingernails and emphasize that they were manicured and well cared for, so he apparently did no work. This could be important evidence of hierarchy, trade and technology at the time. It also confirms all injuries endured by Lindow Man and confirms that he was quite violently killed.