Science in Archaeology
When understanding the cause and effect of the death of a bog body, it is paramount to employ a wide variety of forensic sciences to achieve the most accurate recount of the death of that particular bog body. Forensic sciences can answer questions in relation to the age of the bog body, the circumstance of the bog body’s death, and the practices exhibited by the people of the bog bodies’ time based on seemingly trivial items such as seeds, clothing, and weapons. When analysing and understanding the death of Lindow Man, for example, the utilization of forensic sciences was important to the interpretation of both his death and his life.
A variety of scientific techniques were used to reveal further information about the life and death of Lindow Man. These included:
In order to reconstruct the lifestyle of a particular bog body, historians make use of specialists to gather information and come to a conclusion about the lifestyle of that body. A major part of reaching this conclusion is simply understanding the time in which the bog body was alive. This is achieved through a variety of dating methods specific to the individual and his circumstances. If a weapon was found near the body, one could establish which Age the body was alive based solely off of the metal the weapon was made of (copper would be Copper Age, iron Iron etc.). Once the Age is established, further, more detailed, specific methods of dating can be carried out on the body, such as Radiocarbon dating.
A variety of scientific techniques were used to reveal further information about the life and death of Lindow Man. These included:
- Scanning Electron Microscopy, which revealed that his beard and moustache had been carefully trimmed with fine shears, as well as revealing the contents of his stomach (wheat, bran, barley, misteltoe pollen).
- Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy, which revealed his last meal to be burnt griddlecake.
- Atomic Absorption Spectrometry, which revealed that the skin of his torso had a higher copper content than other skin samples, which could suggest the application of copper body paint.
- Radiocarbon Dating, which revealed the approximate date that Lindow Man was alive (2BC-AD119).
In order to reconstruct the lifestyle of a particular bog body, historians make use of specialists to gather information and come to a conclusion about the lifestyle of that body. A major part of reaching this conclusion is simply understanding the time in which the bog body was alive. This is achieved through a variety of dating methods specific to the individual and his circumstances. If a weapon was found near the body, one could establish which Age the body was alive based solely off of the metal the weapon was made of (copper would be Copper Age, iron Iron etc.). Once the Age is established, further, more detailed, specific methods of dating can be carried out on the body, such as Radiocarbon dating.