Gemma

=Case Study - Ancient Human Remains =

- Assessment - Links - Gemma Johnson __** G r a u b a l l e M a n  **__

The Grauballe Man was found in Nebel Mose close to Silkeborg, Denmark in April 1952. The body was found by a group of men cutting peat for fuel closely to three feet below the surface. Grauballe man was named after the village that the men who discovered him came from.
 * __When, where, how was the body found?__**

__**Description of the Body today?**__ __**How did he die?**__ Grauballe man had sustained severe injuries such as his throat cut from ear to ear and his left leg broken, these injuries would have been fatal. But the main reason behind the death of Grauballe man is that he was used as a human sacrifice to be offered up to the gods or spirits. After the body was done with, it was disposed of into the bog. __**Reasons why the body was preserved:**__ [|Finds in the Bog] The bog in which Grauballe man was found is similar to a wetland. The soil in the bog is called peat and consists mainly of decayed mosses and plant matter. These preserving qualities of the bog prevent the growth of bacteria on the body and prevent oxygen from reaching the body. The result of this preservation is the soft tissues, hair, finger nails and details of the face are preserved in good great condition.
 * 5.7 feet tall
 * Normal Build
 * Completely naked when found
 * Face and chest face raised
 * left leg extended and the right arm and leg bent.
 * Face is distorded due to throat being cut and the pressure from the bog over a long period of time.
 * Hands and feet are well preserved

**

__Scientific Methods that have been used to study the remains__ **
 * Radio active carbon 14 analysis
 * Finger prints that were obtained from the boday
 * Radio graphs/ CT scans showed skull arthritis in the spinal cord and a shrunken brain
 * Physical examinations the conditions of his nails and his throat being cut form ear to ear.
 * X-rays revealed left shin fracture and skull fracture
 * Autopsy Revealed the stomach contents of his last meal
 * __What has been learnt about the past from the study of the body?__**

Grauballe man was killed in a very violent way from getting his throat cut from ear to ear. The violent death gives evidence that he was killed during a ceremony or ritual of human sacrifice. The studying of the stomach contents reveals what his last meal was before he died. These contents show what sort of diet consisted back in the iron age.

__**Bibliography:**__
K. Lange, 2007, **__Tales from the Bog,__** Retrieved: 1st March, from  [] M. Branco, 2002, **__Bog Bodies- Grauballe Man,__** Retrieved: 22nd February, from [] Moesgard Museum, unknown, **__The Grauballe Man,__** Retrieved: 22nd February, from []

Silkeborg Public Library, © 2004, **__Grauballe Man__**, Retrieved: 21st February,from [] This website was also extremely helpful because it gave me information on the description of what he looked like when Grauballe man was found and it also provided me with where, when and how he was found. Not only did the site help me with my speech, but the pictures that were on the website were extraordinary. Most of the picture on this website are incorporated onto my wiki.

This site is very reliable because the information on the website was put up by a library close to where Grauballe man was found. The information for the website was retrieved from the museum itself and therefore the information would be up to date because the museum is where the body lies present. Not only does the website contain information about Grauballe man but it also contains information about other bog bodies.  S.Mclean, 2008, **__Bodies from the Bog__**, Retrieved: 28th February, from: []

This source was very helpful because it gave me a lot of detail into the scientific methods used to study Grauballe man. The site contained information on carbon 14 dating, autopsy of the body, CT scans and radiographs which revealed Grauballe man injuries. Form this detailed information about the remains and the methods used to study it. I have also gathered the reasons about how and why Grauballe Man might have died.

I believe that this source is very reliable because it has up to date information because it was only published last year. It is also written by a man who teaches anthropology at a university in Minnesota. The Update information lets me have all recent information that may have been conducted on the body. Which therefore makes this site my most reliable.

Unknown author, 1997, **__ The People of the Bog __**, Retrieved: 1st March, from []