Bog Bodies Uncovered
Solving Europe's Ancient Mystery
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- 22,99 €
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- 22,99 €
Publisher Description
It is time for a new book about bog bodies: the number of known bodies is growing. Lindow Man, the famous 'Pete Marsh' discovered in Cheshire in the 1980s, has been joined by new finds from Ireland and elsewhere. Who were these unfortunate people, and why were they killed?
Archaeologists, armed with the latest analytical techniques, are today investigating these cold cases to reveal much about our distant past. Forensic science allows us to deduce the age, physical condition, status, cause and time of death of these ancient victims, helping to answer the fundamental questions that they pose: were these people executed, simply murdered, or victims of human sacrifice? Who selected them? Who delivered the killing blow, and why? Drawing on all the latest evidence and research, Miranda Aldhouse-Green has written an engrossing detective story, uncovering the hidden truths behind these murder mysteries.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this fascinating, if dry, study, British archaeologist and Celt scholar Aldhouse-Green (The Celtic Myths) explores the enigmatic phenomenon of the bog bodies: prehistoric people whose bodies have been preserved or mummified in the peat bogs of northern Europe, only to be discovered centuries later. "This book is a quest, a journey towards an understanding of an ancient people, their lives, deaths, their hopes, fears and beliefs," she writes with scholarly enthusiasm. "Who were the bog people? What kinds of lives did they lead? How and why were they violently killed, and who murdered them?" As she discusses several dozen such figures, including the infamous Lindow Man and the misidentified Queen Gunhild, she attempts to unravel the circumstances behind their lives and deaths. Archeology, history, forensics, and anthropology all play roles in analyzing this puzzle, as Aldhouse-Green draws on a huge amount of material to unlock the secrets of the past. She recounts with morbid glee the bizarre, tragic, and often gruesome details surrounding her subjects. And in answering some of her many questions, she sheds light on the people and cultures of a long-past time. Though her tone does tend towards the academic, Aldhouse-Green writes for a wide audience, making this a useful work for anyone interested in the topic.
