The Haraldskær Woman (or Haraldskjaer Woman) is the name given to a bog body of a woman preserved in a bog in Jutland, Denmark, and dating from about 490 BC (pre-Roman Iron Age).[1][2] Workers found the body in 1835 while excavating peat on the Haraldskær Estate. The anaerobic conditions and acids of the peat bog contributed to the body's excellent preservation. Not only was the intact skeleton found, but so were the skin and internal organs. Scientists settled disputes about the age and identity of this well preserved body in 1977, when radiocarbon dating determined conclusively that the woman's death occurred around the 5th century BC.[3]
Haraldskær Woman on display in a glass-covered sarcophagus in Vejle, Denmark
The Haraldskær Woman's body is on permanent display in a glass-covered sarcophagus inside The Cultural Museum in central Vejle, Denmark.[4][5]
Excavators found the body of the Haraldskær Woman in a supine position in an excellent state of preservation. She was naked and her clothes, consisting of a leather cape and three woolen garments, had been placed on top of her.[6] Hurdles of branches and wooden poles pinned the body down.[7] The complete skin envelope and the internal organs were both intact. The body had a lancing wound to the knee joint area, where some object (possibly one of the sharp poles) penetrated to some depth.[8] Her skin was deeply bronzed with a robust skin tone due to tannins in the peat, and all the body joints were preserved with overlying skin in a state as if she had died only recently. Doctors determined she had been about 50 years old when she died and in good health without signs of degenerative diseases (such as arthritis) which are typically found in human remains of that age.[9]
In 1979, doctors at Århus Hospital undertook a further forensic examination of the Haraldskær Woman. By this time, the body had desiccated, shrunken, and the skin was leathery, severely wrinkled and folded.[10] A CT-scan of the cranium more accurately determined her age to be about 40 at the time of her death.[11] The body height now measured only 1.33 m (4 ft 4 in), but doctors used the original 1835 descriptions to estimate she would have stood about 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in).[12]
In 2000, Lone Hvass of the Elsinore Museum, Miranda Aldhouse-Green of Cardiff University, and the Department of Forensic Science at the University of Århus performed a re-examination of the Haraldskær Woman.[9] Forensic analysis revealed stomach contents of unhusked millet and blackberries. Her neck had a faint groove as if someone applied a rope for torture or strangulation. The scientists concluded bog acids caused the swelling of the knee joint and that the woman was probably already dead before the branches pinned her down.[9] Because of her careful placement, and since cremation was the prevailing mode of interment during that period in Jutland, the examiners guess the Haraldskær Woman was a victim of ritual sacrifice.[9]
Relation to other bog bodies
The principal locations where bog bodies have been discovered are the Northern European countries of Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and especially Denmark.[13] The oldest of these bodies dates to about 8000 BCE, although the majority of specimens in Denmark are from the Pre-Roman Iron Age to Roman Iron Age era (about 500 BC to 400 CE).[14] As of 2006, more than 700 ancient bodies have been discovered in these sites,[15] although other estimates have placed the number in the thousands. It is difficult for scientists to ascertain a precise number because many of the bodies have been lost or destroyed.[16] Before archaeologists began actively searching for bog bodies, the bodies were discovered mostly during the routine extraction of peat, and then reburied or discarded.[17] After the discovery that systematic conservation of Iron Age bodies was attributable to the acidic anaerobic environs, major excavations have occurred in Jutland.[18] Other bog bodies recovered on the Jutland peninsula that have undergone as extensive an analysis as the Haraldskær Woman include Tollund Man, Grauballe Man, Elling Woman, Huldremose Woman and the Borremose Woman.[19][20]
Mistaken identity
After the discovery of the body, early theories of her identity centered on the persona of Queen Gunnhild of Norway, who lived around 900–1000 CE. Most of the bog bodies recovered indicate the victim died from a violent murder or ritualistic sacrifice. These theories are consistent with the body being put into a bog as opposed to burial in dry earth.
This careful treatment of the Haraldskær Woman's remains explains the excellent state of conservation of the corpse;[22] conversely, Tollund Man, a later discovery, was not properly conserved and most of the body has been lost, leaving only the head as original remains in his display.
Danish author Steen Steensen Blicher, an amateur archaeologist and one of the first to visit the site, made the first literary reference to the Haraldskær Woman.[24] In 1836, he published his novella Gravhøjen which was a parody about a mistaken archaeological find. However, by 1841 Blicher seemed to have changed his mind about the Haraldskær Woman's identity when he wrote the poem Dronning Gunhild, a lament for the dead queen in the bog.[25] In 1846, the Danish playwright Jens Christian Hostrup wrote his comedy, A Sparrow Doing a Crane Dance, (En Spurv i Tranedans), in which the ghost of Queen Gunnhild gives a magical ring to a scheming tailor and makes everyone blind to his actions.[26] Hostrup's play indirectly satirized the theory that the Haraldskær Woman was Queen Gunnhild, and became the first major public endorsement of Worsaae’s hypothesis.
^Fodor, John D. Rambow, ed. (2002). Denmark [the guide for all budgets, completely updated]. Fodor's Scandinavia. New York/London: Fodor's. ISBN0-676-90203-0.
^"Cultural Museum". vejlemuseerne.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 2021-10-23.
^Hvass, Lone, Dronning Gunhild - et moselig fra jernalderen, Sesam, (1998), p. 26. ISBN87-7801-725-4
^Aldhouse-Green, Miranda, Boudica Britannia, Pearson Education, 2006 pp. 95-96. ISBN1-4058-1100-5
^(Aldhouse 2004, p. 93) harv error: no target: CITEREFAldhouse2004 (help)
^Hamerow, Helena, 2003. Early Medieval Settlements: The Archaeology of Rural Communities in North-West Europe 400-900, Oxford University Press, ISBN0-19-924697-1
^Rowley-Conwy, Peter (2007). From Genesis to Prehistory: The Archaeological Three Age System and Its Contested Reception in Denmark, Britain, and Ireland. Oxford University Press. p. 70. ISBN978-0-19-922774-7.
^(Hvass 1998, p. 23) harv error: no target: CITEREFHvass1998 (help)
^(Hvass 1998, p. 30) harv error: no target: CITEREFHvass1998 (help)
^Hostrup, Jens Christian, En Spurv i Tranedans, Folkecomedie i 4 akter, (1846)
Further reading
van der Sanden, Wijnand (1996). Through Nature to Eternity - The Bog Bodies of Northwest Europe. Amsterdam: Batavian Lion International. pp. 41, 44, 48, 65, 88, 99, 131, 145. ISBN90-6707-418-7.
Turner, Richard; Scaife, Robert (1995). Bog Bodies: New Discoveries and New Perspectives. London: British Museum Press. ISBN0-7141-2305-6.
Frei, Karin Margarita; Mannering, Ulla; Price, T. Douglas; Iversen, Rasmus Birch (31 December 2015). "Strontium isotope investigations of the Haraldskær Woman – a complex record of various tissues". ArchéoSciences (39): 93–101. doi:10.4000/archeosciences.4407. ISSN 1960-1360. S2CID 192631677.
haraldskær, woman, haraldskjaer, woman, name, given, body, woman, preserved, jutland, denmark, dating, from, about, roman, iron, workers, found, body, 1835, while, excavating, peat, haraldskær, estate, anaerobic, conditions, acids, peat, contributed, body, exc. The Haraldskaer Woman or Haraldskjaer Woman is the name given to a bog body of a woman preserved in a bog in Jutland Denmark and dating from about 490 BC pre Roman Iron Age 1 2 Workers found the body in 1835 while excavating peat on the Haraldskaer Estate The anaerobic conditions and acids of the peat bog contributed to the body s excellent preservation Not only was the intact skeleton found but so were the skin and internal organs Scientists settled disputes about the age and identity of this well preserved body in 1977 when radiocarbon dating determined conclusively that the woman s death occurred around the 5th century BC 3 Haraldskaer Woman on display in a glass covered sarcophagus in Vejle Denmark The Haraldskaer Woman s body is on permanent display in a glass covered sarcophagus inside The Cultural Museum in central Vejle Denmark 4 5 Contents 1 Details 2 Relation to other bog bodies 3 Mistaken identity 4 Literary references 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksDetails Edit Haraldskaer Estate in 1857 The body of the Haraldskaer Woman Excavators found the body of the Haraldskaer Woman in a supine position in an excellent state of preservation She was naked and her clothes consisting of a leather cape and three woolen garments had been placed on top of her 6 Hurdles of branches and wooden poles pinned the body down 7 The complete skin envelope and the internal organs were both intact The body had a lancing wound to the knee joint area where some object possibly one of the sharp poles penetrated to some depth 8 Her skin was deeply bronzed with a robust skin tone due to tannins in the peat and all the body joints were preserved with overlying skin in a state as if she had died only recently Doctors determined she had been about 50 years old when she died and in good health without signs of degenerative diseases such as arthritis which are typically found in human remains of that age 9 In 1979 doctors at Arhus Hospital undertook a further forensic examination of the Haraldskaer Woman By this time the body had desiccated shrunken and the skin was leathery severely wrinkled and folded 10 A CT scan of the cranium more accurately determined her age to be about 40 at the time of her death 11 The body height now measured only 1 33 m 4 ft 4 in but doctors used the original 1835 descriptions to estimate she would have stood about 1 50 m 4 ft 11 in 12 In 2000 Lone Hvass of the Elsinore Museum Miranda Aldhouse Green of Cardiff University and the Department of Forensic Science at the University of Arhus performed a re examination of the Haraldskaer Woman 9 Forensic analysis revealed stomach contents of unhusked millet and blackberries Her neck had a faint groove as if someone applied a rope for torture or strangulation The scientists concluded bog acids caused the swelling of the knee joint and that the woman was probably already dead before the branches pinned her down 9 Because of her careful placement and since cremation was the prevailing mode of interment during that period in Jutland the examiners guess the Haraldskaer Woman was a victim of ritual sacrifice 9 Relation to other bog bodies EditThe principal locations where bog bodies have been discovered are the Northern European countries of Germany the Netherlands the United Kingdom Ireland and especially Denmark 13 The oldest of these bodies dates to about 8000 BCE although the majority of specimens in Denmark are from the Pre Roman Iron Age to Roman Iron Age era about 500 BC to 400 CE 14 As of 2006 more than 700 ancient bodies have been discovered in these sites 15 although other estimates have placed the number in the thousands It is difficult for scientists to ascertain a precise number because many of the bodies have been lost or destroyed 16 Before archaeologists began actively searching for bog bodies the bodies were discovered mostly during the routine extraction of peat and then reburied or discarded 17 After the discovery that systematic conservation of Iron Age bodies was attributable to the acidic anaerobic environs major excavations have occurred in Jutland 18 Other bog bodies recovered on the Jutland peninsula that have undergone as extensive an analysis as the Haraldskaer Woman include Tollund Man Grauballe Man Elling Woman Huldremose Woman and the Borremose Woman 19 20 Mistaken identity EditAfter the discovery of the body early theories of her identity centered on the persona of Queen Gunnhild of Norway who lived around 900 1000 CE Most of the bog bodies recovered indicate the victim died from a violent murder or ritualistic sacrifice These theories are consistent with the body being put into a bog as opposed to burial in dry earth According to the Jomsvikinga Saga Harald Bluetooth of Denmark ordered Queen Gunnhild be drowned in a bog 21 Based upon the belief of her royal personage King Frederick VI of Denmark Norway commanded an elaborately carved sarcophagus to hold her body This careful treatment of the Haraldskaer Woman s remains explains the excellent state of conservation of the corpse 22 conversely Tollund Man a later discovery was not properly conserved and most of the body has been lost leaving only the head as original remains in his display In 1842 the young Danish archaeologist J J A Worsaae disputed the identification of the Haraldskaer Woman with Gunnhild 23 A pioneer in archaeological stratigraphy Worsaae presented evidence the Haraldskaer Woman dated from the Iron Age Later radiocarbon dating confirmed the body was not Gunnhild but rather a woman of the early Iron Age who lived about 490 BCE 1 2 Literary references EditDanish author Steen Steensen Blicher an amateur archaeologist and one of the first to visit the site made the first literary reference to the Haraldskaer Woman 24 In 1836 he published his novella Gravhojen which was a parody about a mistaken archaeological find However by 1841 Blicher seemed to have changed his mind about the Haraldskaer Woman s identity when he wrote the poem Dronning Gunhild a lament for the dead queen in the bog 25 In 1846 the Danish playwright Jens Christian Hostrup wrote his comedy A Sparrow Doing a Crane Dance En Spurv i Tranedans in which the ghost of Queen Gunnhild gives a magical ring to a scheming tailor and makes everyone blind to his actions 26 Hostrup s play indirectly satirized the theory that the Haraldskaer Woman was Queen Gunnhild and became the first major public endorsement of Worsaae s hypothesis See also EditBog body Borremose bodies Clonycavan Man Grauballe Man Lindow Man Lindow Woman Old Croghan Man Tollund Man Weerdinge Men Windeby I Yde GirlReferences Edit a b Ebbesen Klaus 1986 Doden i mosen in Danish Copenhagen Carlsen s Forlag p 7 ISBN 978 87 562 3369 9 OCLC 18616344 a b Aldhouse Green Miranda J 2004 An archaeology of images Iconology and cosmology in Iron Age and Roman Europe London New York Routledge p 93 ISBN 0 415 25253 9 OCLC 53099015 Archaeological Institute Haraldskaer Woman Bodies of the Bogs Archaeology Archaeological Institute of America December 10 1997 Fodor John D Rambow ed 2002 Denmark the guide for all budgets completely updated Fodor s Scandinavia New York London Fodor s ISBN 0 676 90203 0 Cultural Museum vejlemuseerne dk in Danish Retrieved 2021 10 23 Hvass Lone Dronning Gunhild et moselig fra jernalderen Sesam 1998 p 26 ISBN 87 7801 725 4 Aldhouse Green Miranda Boudica Britannia Pearson Education 2006 pp 95 96 ISBN 1 4058 1100 5 Aldhouse 2004 p 93 harv error no target CITEREFAldhouse2004 help a b c d Aldhouse Green 2006 pp 95 6 harv error no target CITEREFAldhouse Green2006 help Hvass 1998 p 58 harv error no target CITEREFHvass1998 help Hvass 1998 p 62 harv error no target CITEREFHvass1998 help Hvass 1998 p 61 harv error no target CITEREFHvass1998 help Lang Karen E Tales from the Bog National Geographic Magazine September 2008 Fischer Christian Tollundmanden Gaven til guderne Mosefund fra Danmarks forhistorie Hovedland 2007 Hirst Kris K Bog Bodies Archaeology About Com Knudsen Anne Moselig Weekendavisen Nr 40 5 11 Oct 2007 Knudsen 2007 harv error no target CITEREFKnudsen2007 help Hamerow Helena 2003 Early Medieval Settlements The Archaeology of Rural Communities in North West Europe 400 900 Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 924697 1 Fischer 2007 harv error no target CITEREFFischer2007 help Andersen S Geertinger P Bog Bodies Investigated in the Light of Forensic Medicine Journal of Danish Archaeology Vol 3 1984 p 111 119 Ashley Julian Lock 1998 The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens New York Carroll amp Graf p 443 ISBN 978 0 7867 0405 7 Archaeological Institute 1997 harv error no target CITEREFArchaeological Institute1997 help Rowley Conwy Peter 2007 From Genesis to Prehistory The Archaeological Three Age System and Its Contested Reception in Denmark Britain and Ireland Oxford University Press p 70 ISBN 978 0 19 922774 7 Hvass 1998 p 23 harv error no target CITEREFHvass1998 help Hvass 1998 p 30 harv error no target CITEREFHvass1998 help Hostrup Jens Christian En Spurv i Tranedans Folkecomedie i 4 akter 1846 Further reading Editvan der Sanden Wijnand 1996 Through Nature to Eternity The Bog Bodies of Northwest Europe Amsterdam Batavian Lion International pp 41 44 48 65 88 99 131 145 ISBN 90 6707 418 7 Turner Richard Scaife Robert 1995 Bog Bodies New Discoveries and New Perspectives London British Museum Press ISBN 0 7141 2305 6 Brothwell Don 1986 The Bogman and the Archaeology of People British Museum Publications ISBN 0 7141 1384 0 Frei Karin Margarita Mannering Ulla Price T Douglas Iversen Rasmus Birch 31 December 2015 Strontium isotope investigations of the Haraldskaer Woman a complex record of various tissues ArcheoSciences 39 93 101 doi 10 4000 archeosciences 4407 ISSN 1960 1360 S2CID 192631677 External links EditTales from the Bog illuminations magazine University of California Berkeley Bog bodies links A collection of links to bog body articles at Stefan s Florilegium The Perfect Corpse Nova series for PBS television 2008Coordinates 55 42 10 N 9 26 22 E 55 70278 N 9 43944 E 55 70278 9 43944 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Haraldskaer Woman amp oldid 1101822894, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
