The Tollund Man is a remarkably well-preserved mummy from the Iron Age, discovered in 1950 in a peat bog in Tollund, Denmark.
He lived about 2,400 years ago, around the 4th century BC. The bog’s acidic water, low temperature, and lack of oxygen created the perfect conditions to naturally preserve his body. When found, he was so well-preserved that the discoverers thought they had stumbled upon a recent murder victim. The details on his face are so clear that you can see his serene expression and wrinkles, giving us a face-to-face encounter with the past.
The Tollund Man is believed to have been a ritual sacrifice victim, as suggested by the leather noose still around his neck and his body’s position. This type of sacrificial practice was not uncommon in Iron Age Europe.
His body now resides at the Silkeborg Museum in Denmark.