Peat bogs naturally preserve human remains, sometimes for thousands of years. The artifacts give archaeologists a rich source of information to understand how ancient people lived.
Some of the most intriguing remains, however, have come from the European Iron Age, which began around 500 B.C. A number of bodies dated to this period appear to have died violently, perhaps as sacrifices, before being buried in the peat.
Other bog bodies displaying signs of violence may have been criminals, and their burials served as punishment. Still others displayed physical deformities that may have marked them for sacrifice, either as figures of veneration or condemnation.In addition to the manner of their death, some bog bodies also contain valuable information about their lives and the societies they came from.