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Key research themes
1. How can the original landscape and environmental context of bog sites deepen our understanding of bog bodies deposition?
This research area focuses on reconstructing the physical and cultural landscape settings of bog body deposition to provide new insights into the contextual meaning and archaeological interpretation of bog bodies. By integrating data from physical geography, geomorphology, palynology, and archaeology, researchers aim to overcome the historic focus on single-site material culture in favor of broader spatial and temporal contextualization, enabling better understanding of deposition motives, ritual significance, and site formation processes.
Key finding: Using interdisciplinary methodologies combining geomorphology, palynology, and archaeology, the authors reconstructed the physical and cultural landscape around the Yde Girl bog site, revealing the integration of the bog... Read more
Key finding: This work develops best practice guidelines for contextual analysis of bog bodies through multi-scale spatial and chronological frameworks illustrated by case studies (Lindow Man, Tollund Man, Yde Girl). It underscores that... Read more
Bogs, bones and bodies: the deposition of human remains in northern European mires (9000 BC-AD 1900)
Key finding: By compiling a database of over 1000 human remains from 266 northern European mire sites, this study identifies fluctuating chronological and spatial deposition patterns and situates bog bodies within broader cultural and... Read more
2. What are the challenges and emerging strategies in the conservation and preservation of bog bodies post-excavation?
Given the unique and composite material nature of bog bodies—often involving skin, muscle, bone, and other tissues—this theme examines conservation complexities, including chemical and physical characterization, stabilization, and long-term care strategies. Research highlights the integration of conservation science, storage methodologies, and ethical considerations necessary to preserve these rare archaeological human remains.
Key finding: The paper identifies that conservation of bog bodies requires swift, multi-disciplinary intervention focused on maintaining anoxic conditions, moulded support, cold storage, and integrated documentation to preserve both the... Read more
Key finding: This educational project explores ethical and curatorial decision-making associated with the exhibition and potential reburial of bog bodies, highlighting the tension between public education, respect for human remains, and... Read more
3. How do hydrological dynamics and peat properties influence bog development and restoration, and what implications do these have for bog sites preservation?
Research under this theme investigates the biophysical processes controlling raised bog ecosystems, focusing on peat volumetric oscillations (bog surface breathing) and hydrological self-regulation. Understanding these dynamics provides essential insight for bog restoration, ecosystem resilience, and the protection of archaeological deposits, as hydrological conditions critically affect peat preservation and indirectly the conservation conditions for artifacts and bog bodies.
Key finding: The study quantifies seasonal oscillations in peat surface elevation ranging from 2 to 34 cm in multiple sites of a coastal temperate raised bog. It shows that bog surface oscillations are strongly influenced by water table... Read more
Key finding: This local case study of a coastal peatland in California highlights the rarity and ecological significance of coastal bogs influenced by climatic, hydrological, and seismic factors (e.g., Cascadia subduction earthquakes). It... Read more
Key finding: Through comprehensive historical cartography and GIS analyses, this study documents urbanization impacts on Camosun Bog, British Columbia, including drainage, filling, and hydrological disruption resulting in substantial... Read more