the body
The body was found in Lindow Moss, near Wilmslow in Cheshire, North West England.
When was the body found?
The body was found on the 1st of August, 1984.
Where was the body found?
The body was found in Lindow Moss near Wilmslow in Cheshire North West England. (refer to map above)
How was the body found?
The body was found by a commercial peat cutter, Andy Mould whilst working with Eddie Slack as they placed blocks of peat onto and elevator which transported them to a shredding mill to use in gardens. He threw what he believed to be wood embedded in a piece of peat towards Slack which crumbled revealing a human foot. Mould reported the find and as well as locating the leg, they found majority of his body. The Lindow Man was discovered lying on his back, leaning to the right with his head on his right shoulder. However not all of his body was found as the lower half of his body was missing apart from his right leg.
Description
He is one of the best known and preserved bog bodies as shown through images of his body. The body consists of leathery skin with a yellow hue and wrinkles. His body became distorted over time causing a slumped appearance and an anguished expression. His internal organs and hair were also preserved very well (refer to body preservation for more information). He was the first male bog body to have retained hair on his body and his hair which was discovered to be trimmed a few days before his death. The Lindow Man was found without clothes but an arm band was found.
Personal Details
He was nicknamed ‘Pete Marsh’ and was determined to be of blood group O. Radiocarbon dating shows that the Lindow Man lived during the Iron Age near Lindow Moss in the mid-1st Century AD but it is debatable. He was approximately 25 years old when he died and about 168cm, weighing around 60-65kg. It was assumed that he was a respectable man of society due to his
well-cared for nails and neatly trimmed hair and mustache which also suggested he didn’t do much labour work even though he was well built.
How did he die?
Pete was most likely murdered and died a brutal death and it was likely he was sacrificed (refer to investigation -> scientific methods). He was stabbed in the top of the head with a blunt heavy object such as a club or a stick which drove a sliver of bone into his brain. He was also found to have a thin cord tied around his neck which strangled him and broke his neck as well. He received a blow in the back causing a broken rib and his throat was cut. He was then thrown into the peat bog face down.
How the body was preserved over time?
The body was preserved extremely well due to the acidic and oxygen free conditions in the peat bog and slowed down decay. This included his skin, hair and internal organs. While being moved he was being kept in cool conditions in order for it to be studied and excavated properly by spraying the body with cool, distilled water at intervals and parts not being examined were protected to prevent it from evaporating. When transferred to the British Museum, he was freeze dried in a cabinet which is climate controlled since it is specifically and environmentally constructed and controlled.