The Koelbjerg Man, formerly known as Koelbjerg Woman, is the oldest known
bog body and also the oldest set of human bones found in
Denmark
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,
[Museum Odense]
Den ældste dansker er en mand.
Retrieved 3 April 2017. dated to the time of the
Maglemosian culture around 8000 BC. His remains are on display at the
Møntergården Museum in
Odense
Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (behind Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2022, the city proper had a population of 180,863 while Odense Municipality had a population of 20 ...
, Denmark.
[Museum Odense]
Fyn - midt i verden.
Retrieved 3 April 2017.
Discovery
In May 1941, a human skull and some bones were discovered. On 21 May, the find was reported to the Fyns Stiftsmuseum. The museum staff were able to reconstruct the original position of the bones only because the blocks of peat containing the bones could be matched to the holes where they were removed from the bog. The skull and two bones were found at a depth of , but the majority of the bones were found in a depth of , at a distance of from the other bones. A thigh bone was found a further to the southeast.
Study of the remains
The complete skeleton of the man was not found. The
anthropological
Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behav ...
investigation of the bones revealed that the man was tall and 20 to 25 years old. No signs of disease or malnutrition could be identified on the bones and the preservation of the original full set of teeth also had no pathological signs such as
tooth decay
Tooth decay, also known as cavities or caries, is the breakdown of teeth due to acids produced by bacteria. The cavities may be a number of different colors from yellow to black. Symptoms may include pain and difficulty with eating. Complicatio ...
. An analysis based on samples from the bones pointed towards a diet of plants and land-based animals, with little or no seafood.
[ A strontium isotope analysis revealed that he likely grew up in ]Funen
Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as of ...
, the island where the remains were found.[
An early DNA analysis revealed no useful results. The few found DNA traces were probably from contamination by people handling the remains. Later DNA studies based on samples from the molar teeth revealed in 2016 that the person, long considered a woman, was in fact a man.][Pedersen, K.L. (2 April 2017)]
Ny DNA-forskning: Danmarks ældste lig skifter køn fra kvinde til mand.
DR Nyheder. Retrieved 3 April 2017. The sex had occasionally been questioned earlier because of the relatively robust bones.[
The distribution of bones over a larger area is understandable if the man drowned in the lake: the soft tissues of the corpse may have decayed while floating in open water, allowing disarticulation of the body. The remaining parts sank and were enclosed by lake silt.
In July 1941, a ]pollen analysis
Palynology is the "study of dust" (from grc-gre, παλύνω, palynō, "strew, sprinkle" and ''-logy'') or of "particles that are strewn". A classic palynologist analyses particulate samples collected from the air, from water, or from deposits ...
was performed from the inside of the skull. The bog body could be dated to the time of Maglemosian culture around 8000 BC. In October 1943, at the site a bore sample was taken for further investigations. A Carbon 14 test, confirmed in 1983, dated the time of death to the Maglemosian culture.
Approximately southwest, near the Nerverkær-Moor, remains were found of settlements dating back to the Maglemosian culture. Koelbjerg Man may have lived in this settlement.
See also
*List of unsolved deaths
This list of unsolved deaths includes well-known cases where:
* The cause of death could not be officially determined.
* The person's identity could not be established after they were found dead.
* The cause is known, but the manner of death (homi ...
* Maglemosian culture
References
Bibliography
*
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{{Bog body
1941 archaeological discoveries
Archaeological discoveries in Denmark
Bog bodies
Forensic palynology