The Borremose bodies are three preserved human remains discovered in the Borremose peat bog in Himmerland, Denmark. Found between 1946 and 1948, the remains include one man and two women. These bodies date back to the Bronze Age in northern Europe. In 1891, a metal object called the Gundestrup cauldron was discovered in a nearby peat bog.
Borremose man
In 1946, Borremose Man was found by workers digging in peat near the southern part of the Borremose peat bog. At first, people thought the body was from a murder victim. Later, they learned it was a bog body. The body was found half a meter below a layer of birch sticks. The man was not wearing any clothes, but two sheepskin coats and a woven cap were placed next to him.
Forensic tests showed the man was about 1.55 meters tall (5 feet 1 inch). Carbon dating estimated the body was about 700 BC. Borremose Man was discovered with a rope that was 36 centimeters long (about 14 inches) with a slipknot around his neck, which suggests he died from strangulation. Examinations also found a severe blow to the back of his skull and a broken right thigh bone.
56°47′23″N 9°34′11″E / 56.78972°N 9.56972°E / 56.78972; 9.56972
Borremose II
In 1947, a body was found in the Borremose bog, about one kilometre from the Borremose Man. Scientists think the body was female, but the process of breaking down made it hard to be certain. The body was lying face down, 60 cm (24 in) deep in the bog, on a base of birch bark. Birch branches were nearby, and three birch poles, each about 10 centimetres (3.9 in) long and the same thickness, were placed directly on the body. The skull was broken, and the brain was visible.
The upper part of the body was not covered, but the lower part was wrapped in a cloak made of thick fabric with four layers and a shawl with fringes. These items are now displayed at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. It is unclear if the body was fully dressed when it was placed in the bog because clothing made from plant materials, like flax fibers, may have dissolved in the acidic peat. A leather cord with an amber bead and a bronze plate was around the neck.
The skull was crushed, and the right leg was broken below the knee. Nearby were the bones of an infant and a ceramic jar. Because the body had mostly decayed, scientists could not perform more detailed tests. Later, carbon dating showed the remains were about 400 BCE.
56°47′36″N 9°34′55″E / 56.79333°N 9.58194°E / 56.79333; 9.58194
Borremose Woman
In 1948, the body of another woman, known as Borremose III or Borremose Woman, was found about 400 metres (1,300 feet) south of Borremose Man. She was estimated to be between 20 and 35 years old when she died.
Borremose Woman was discovered lying face down, with her body wrapped in a woolen garment. The scalp and hair on one side of her head were separated, but this was likely caused by the tools used by peat diggers, not the cause of her death. Her skull and face were crushed, and damage to her neck made it impossible to determine if she had been strangled. Further study showed the skull damage occurred after death, caused by the loss of minerals in her bones and pressure from the peat. Carbon dating placed her death around 770 BCE, with a possible range of 100 years before or after.
In 1984, scientists Andersen, Geert Inger, and Elisabeth Munksgaard from the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen examined Borremose Woman. Their study confirmed the scalp damage happened after death. However, the scientists could not determine the exact cause of her death—whether it was murder, suicide, an accident, or natural causes.