Skeletons vs. Mummies: Osteological Trauma on Bog Bodies as a Measure for Cultural Change in Ancient Europe

Bog bodies are some of the most well known archaeological finds in the world, and are preserved human remains found in wetlands. Researchers use the information stored in the bones of bog skeletons and mummies to learn about cultural lifestyles, travels, diet, and diseases throughout time in Northern Europe and the British Isles. Through multiple cultural changes and migration, the "bog body phenomenon" has remained an unusual treatment displayed throughout time. This literature review looked at skeletal trauma on bog remains to identify cultural change over time in Northern Europe and the British Isles, spanning the Neolithic, Bronze, Iron, and Roman Ages. Two research questions were developed which were: are patterns of violence and postmortem treatment for skeletons and mummies similar or different, and is there a correlation between the time period and the level of violence? Databases were searched and literature sources were searched for raw data; individual remains were classified by time period and other factors, then ten statistical tests were conducted to find correlations between time, violence, and skeletonization/mummification. While no major significance between time period, violence, or skeletonization/mummification was present, bog depositions remained constant throughout nearly 9000 years of cultural change, demanding more research around this strange constant through history. The study challenged preconceived notions about cultural factors surrounding the individuals who were eventually deposited, and invites future research.