Archaeologists have put forward a version of who the 2000-year-old headless woman whose remains were found in an Irish swamp was
A recent archaeological discovery in Northern Ireland has revealed that well-preserved human remains found in a peat bog belong to a young woman who lived more than 2,000 years ago. The new data challenges previous assumptions that the buried person was a teenager.
The bones were accidentally found in October 2023 near the village of Bellaghy, County Londonderry, during a routine peat extraction operation. Experts investigated them as a possible modern crime scene, but forensic examinations proved that the remains date back to between 343 and 1 BC, ArchaeologyNews writes.
Scientists conducted a study of the remains found in the swamp.
Source: Screenshot
The discovery was transferred to the National Museums of Northern Ireland for further analysis, where a team of archaeologists, forensic experts, and historians worked together to uncover the story of the buried person.
The osteoarchaeological study revealed that the person was a woman between the ages of 17 and 22 at the time of her death. She was about 1.7 meters tall, which means she was considered tall relative to women of the time.
According to experts, this discovery is unique because most Iron Age bodies found in bogs across Europe have been identified as male.
"As is the case with many other Iron Age bodies found in bogs, this young woman suffered a violent death that included having her throat drained and then decapitation," said Eileen Murphy, a professor of archaeology at Queen's University Belfast.
The bones show cuts, indicating a violent death.
Source: Screenshot
Experts say that cut marks on the bones of the neck show that someone deliberately decapitated the woman. This suggests that her death may have been part of a ritual sacrifice, which is consistent with broader research on Iron Age marshes.
"The head was taken away and the body left at the murder site, where it was accidentally discovered some 2,000 years later. Further scientific analysis, along with DNA identification, will provide even more valuable discoveries," the researcher added.
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