| Det. Vortigern Aedui | File no. 1002929 | Celtia CSI, Old Croghan division |
It was a gray and dreary morning in Croghan as workmen clearing a drainage ditch in a peat bog uncovered a body they believed was the victim of foul play. Perhaps this man was murdered. The men called in the police, and what they found was a murder victim over 2,000 years old.
Upon examination of the body, the local police pathologist decided to call in the state police, and together they found that the man had his nipples ripped off and was stabbed in the ribs. What a horrific form of torture this must have been. Other wounds on the man show that he must have put up a fight, with wounds showing on his arms. He also was beheaded, and had ropes passed through his arms.
There was nothing to be found on the crime scene, but peat, but there was information to be found inside the victim. The autopsy showed that he had consumed alot of grain and barley, which may be from a number of two things. He could either have been eating alot of grains because he was killed in the winter month, or he had been drinking alot of beer. It could be a combination of the both.
The physical characteristics of the victim are rare, as he is missing a head and we will never get to see what he looked like. It is believed that this victim was decapitated. We do know from chemical analysis of his fingernails that he ate alot of meat. We also know that his hands were very nicely manicured. He must have had a priveledged life considering
that he was 6'6" tall and managed to stay out of manual labor.
The reason these bodies are so well preserved is a question of debate. Once scientists believed that lack of oxygen and the acidic conditions of the bog along with bacteria killing enzymes was the reason. Then it was thought that a chemical called tannin acted as a natural preservative. Terence Painter of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim believes it is a complex sugar called sphagnan that is responsible.
Unfortunately, the Celtic people of Ireland are an ambiguous people. Since they kept no written record, we can only go off oral legends that have been passed down through the ages for support. Ned Kelly of the National Museum of Ireland has a theory for many of the injuries left on Old Croghan man.
"My belief is that these burials are offerings to the gods of fertility by kings to ensure a successful reign,"
It has been theorized by Kelly that ancient people would suckle off the nipples of the king in hopes for a plentiful harvest, and several seasons of famine may explain why Old Croghan man's nipples were cut off. It may also explain why the body was cut up. Kelly goes on to explain that ancient people would possibly cut up the said king and scatter his remains along the border, to ensure better harvests in a ritualistic sacrifice.
The last step in the crime scene investigation is to process the scene. Since much of Celtic history is speculative, it is up to the person to devise a story to go along with the murder victim. There must have been a situation that happened, and it is only up to our imaginations to find out exactly what. It may never be clear as to why Old Croghan man died, but with the further developments of future bog bodies, we will always have hope for more information.
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