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The Grauballe Man is one of the best preserved bog bodies in the world. He was found on April 26, 1952, in a bog near the village of Grauballe in Jutland, Denmark, by a person digging for peat. Carbon dating has determined him to be from around 290 BC. Grauballe Man is currently on display at the Moesgaard Museum near Aarhus, Denmark.

Contents 1 Condition 2 Death 3 Modern culture 4 External links

[edit] Condition

The Grauballe Man is very well preserved with nails and hair in evidence. His fingers were even in good enough condition to allow his fingerprints to be taken. While his hair and beard are well preserved, they have been discoloured by time, as has his skin. No clothing or jewellery was found on or near the body.

[edit] Death

The Grauballe Man died from having his throat cut, but he also had a fractured cranium and leg. Why he was killed is not known, but maybe for sacrifice. As with several other bog bodies, it is assumed that either a sacrifice or execution as punishment for a crime was the cause of his injuries. He also had a mysterious cord around his neck as discovered by National Geographic. Recent scans have reconstructed his face and revealed a lot of facts about him, including that he was beginning to develop gout and already had arthritis. Other than that, he appears to have been a healthy male, about 30 years old.

[edit] Modern culture

The Grauballe Man is the subject of a poem by Seamus Heaney.

[edit] External links

• The Grauballe Man – a brief description at the homepage of the Moesgård Museum
• The Grauballe Man – a poem by Seamus Heaney at the homepage of BBC NI Schools
• National Geographic September 2007: "Tales From the Bog"

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