The Bog People: Iron Age Man Preserved (New York Review Books Classics) (Paperback)

by P.V. Glob (Author), Elizabeth Wayland Barber (Introduction), Paul Barber (Introduction) "An early spring day-8 May, 1950..." (more)
Key Phrases: sacrificial deposits, bog people, wooden crooks, Iron Age, Bronze Age, National Museum (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
One spring morning two men cutting peat in a Danish bog uncovered a well-preserved body of a man with a noose around his neck. Thinking they had stumbled upon a murder victim, they reported their discovery to the police, who were baffled until they consulted the famous archaeologist P. V. Glob. He identified the body as that of a 2,000-year-old man, ritually murdered and thrown in the bog as a sacrifice to the goddess of fertility. A classic of archaeological history, originally conceived as a detective story of sorts, The Bog People is a fascinating account of the religion, culture, and daily life of Iron Age Europe.

Language Notes
Text: English, Danish (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: NYRB Classics (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590170903
• ISBN-13: 978-1590170908
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #613,775 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #26 in	Books > Science > Archaeology > Prehistoric
  #48 in	Books > History > Europe > Denmark

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glimpse into Iron Age life and ritual, March 28, 2000

By	David C. Berg (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bog People: Iron-Age Man Preserved (Paperback)

P. V. Glob's BOG PEOPLE is a concise and illuminating study of several exquisitly preserved bodies of Iron Age inhabitant discovered northern Denmark by peat diggers in the early 1950s.

Glob, who was on the scene soon after the bodies were discovered, describes the remarkable condition of the bodies, then proceeds to explore the circumstances of their deaths. Glob's exposition gives us a look into the practice of ritual sacrifice in Iron Age northern Europe. Enhancing his discussion with studies of their last meals, the manner of death, the clothes and jewelry they wore as well as other bog artifacts, Glob introduces us to a brutal world where ritual sacrifice played a critical role in the spiritual life of Iron Age residents of modern day Denmark.

The photographs and x-rays of the bodies are stunning. In particular, the haunting photos of the serene, delicately preserved Tolland man cast this study in an earthy yet unearthly light.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A reminder of life in the past., September 21, 2006

By	J. Guild (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This is a rather unusual book and well worth reading. Most of the time we read about remains being found in caves,tombs or graves under stone monuments,etc. In this case, there is a real departure in that they are found in wet bogs.
Although, at the time these bodies were placed in the bogs,it was probably not known that the acidic properties wound result in their unbelievable preservation.
These bodies were most likely "buried" in the period of 200 B.C until
200 A.D. This period was during the early Bronze Age and in the northern
and western part of Europe. Civilization was not near as well developed here as in southern Europe when Rome was at its height of development.
The author describes a few of the remains and tries to show who these people were and why they were interred in bogs.This occurred over a wide area and at many locations.
There seems to be two main reasons why remains were placed in these bogs.
Some were obviously murdered,sacrificed,hung or otherwise executed because of crimes,need of a victim for sacrifice, or because they were thought to be possessed,or otherwise evil. Many were staked to the ground to prevent them or their spirits from returning. Others were placed there because of their high ranking in the society.This was determined because those remains showed no evidence of wounds,mutilation or ropes around their necks or limbs.They were also accompanied with artifacts and or treasures.
This book would probably not be considered a great or highly learned Archaeological effort. Be that as it may,it is a very interesting read and an insight into life at the time through a very different window.
The author has included a large number of excellent photos;though it's a shame they are not in color.
It is also of note, that it was first published in 1969 and is still in print.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "The dead and the sleeping, how they resemble one another", May 12, 2005

By	Hallstatt Prince (MA. USA) - See all my reviews

A beautiful slim volume which should be on everyone's bookshelf. It is a disturbing and yet strangely moving book. However the text is woefully out of date and has a lot of misinformation on the Celts and their relationship with the trading systems of the North. It also lacks the modern theories of how and why these individuals were sacrificed. I highly recommend this book just as long as you don't use it as your only source of information on the Celts.