A Face from 2,400 Years Ago
On May 8, 1950, peat cutters Viggo and Emil Højgaard stumbled upon what appeared to be a recent murder victim in a Danish bog near Silkeborg. The man’s body was so perfectly preserved that police were called. But this was no modern crime scene.
The body was soon identified as over two millennia old—dating to the 5th century BC—and would come to be known as the Tollund Man. With stubble still visible on his chin, a noose tight around his neck, and a peaceful expression on his face, he became one of the best-preserved prehistoric bodies ever found.
What the Bog Preserved
The Tollund Man lay in a fetal position, 2.3 meters (7 ft 7 in) beneath the peat, wearing only a leather cap, belt, and the hanging noose. His hair was neatly cropped, and his age at death was estimated to be about 40.
The acidic, low-oxygen environment of the Sphagnum moss bog had preserved his skin, organs, and even stomach contents. His final meal was a porridge made from barley, flax, knotgrass, and wild seeds—without meat or fruit—suggesting a seasonal diet in winter or early spring.
Examinations and Theories
Initial autopsy results confirmed hanging as the cause of death. There were furrows under his chin from the rope, a distended tongue, and no damage to the back of the skull or vertebrae.
Scientists later used strontium isotope analysis from his femur and hair to determine that he likely lived and died in Denmark, having traveled around 30 kilometers in the final six months of his life. Though the purpose of his death remains uncertain, scholars continue to debate whether it was a ritual sacrifice or execution.
Preservation and Display
At the time of his discovery, full-body preservation was not feasible. Only the head was saved in formalin, while the rest of the body was later reconstructed using skeletal remains. Today, Tollund Man’s original head is attached to a replica body and displayed at the Silkeborg Museum.
He is one of over 500 Iron Age bog bodies discovered in Denmark, including the Elling Woman, found just 12 years earlier in the same bog. In 1976, Danish police successfully took a fingerprint from his preserved right thumb, making it one of the oldest on record.
When Danish peat cutters uncovered a body in 1950, they believed they had found a murder victim.
But this man had been dead for over 2,000 years.
Perfectly preserved in a bog, his hair, skin, and even last meal were intact—leaving behind a mystery still unsolved today…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/tm1iCWyFAW
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) June 11, 2025