Face to Face with the Dead: Tollund Man, Silkeborg

Zagan the motorhome’s beside a small lake just outside Silkeborg in Jutland, Denmark (56.15756,9.52711). We’re parked up for free under an oak tree, which occasionally drops an acorn on us, to keep us sharp.

Overnight parking is OK anywhere in Denmark for a night as long as no signs prohibit it, and we don’t do any ‘camping activities’ – taking out chairs, awning etc

Today we came face to face with the dead. In my decades on the planet I’ve been fortunate, and have so far not been exposed to a great deal of death. I can’t recall ever seeing anyone’s corpse either, other than those who were plasticised as part of the Human Body exhibition that we visited in Krakow, but somehow they didn’t seem real. This might explain why I found today so moving and fascinating. We’ve been to the small Museum Silkeborg Hovedgården to see Tollund Man, the most well-preserved bog body from prehistoric times, and he’s incredible to stand beside and respectfully peer at in his current resting place. For all the world appearing asleep, the man died 2200 years ago, hung by the neck before being carefully laid out, his eyes and mouth closed for reasons unknown, and left in a bog in perpetuity(ish).

Tollund Man

We struck lucky with four hours of free parking right next to the museum (N56.16929, E9.55472), then the ticket lady at the museum surprised us when we arrived, telling us entrance was free this week. “Ahhh, fantastic, thanks. Why is it free?” I stammered out. “It’s a holiday here at the moment, and we have a special exhibition which is being replaced after this week too.”  The lady went on to explain that the motorway we drove on to get to the town only opened last month, and the exhibition was there to present the artefacts uncovered by archaeologists as the groundwork was laid for it. The freebie week was to give the locals one last chance to see the array of items found. We bypassed (ahem) the motorway exhibits to start off with, and nipped straight over to see the main attraction, and oh man, were we not disappointed.

Tollund Man

I stood and stared as Ju read out detail from an information board. The chap in front of me, encased in a glass protective box, died 200 or 300 years before Christ was born. He lived his 40 years well before the Roman Empire even took a foothold in Italy, when Sparta ruled in Ancient Greece. Good gods, I was amazed, look at his face, it’s all-but alive! Standing in this small, quiet, free museum, I could have cried. Being able to experience such incredible moments is what keeps me going, what gives me the feeling I’m doing the right thing with my life.

Where Tollund Man fits into the great historical scheme of things

There’s plenty of information in the museum about what’s known of the man: he was suffocated through hanging (the ‘English’ method, apparently, where the neck isn’t broken), he ate a type of porridge from various cereals for his last meal, he was preserved due to the cold temperature and unique acidic nature of the bog he laid in, and he was found in 1950 by two chaps digging for peat. There was some speculation as to why he died: possibly a sacrifice to the gods, after which his friends arranged his body for his dignity, but no-one really knows, or ever will. Other bog bodies were described too, including one found in the UK called Lindow Man, or as he is known locally, wait for it, Pete Marsh, have to love my fellow Brit’s sense of humour!

We spent a good hour or so wandering the other exhibits in the museum, reading about the ten year battle over where the motorway should be routed (everyone wanted it, no-one wanted it near them), and finally looking through all the items found from across the ages.

Clearly the motorway project had a major PR battle on its hands, and produced stacks of material, including the exhibition, to try and get the locals on-side

The motorway unearthed some serious finds, which archaeologists had to rush to preserve.

Being something of a childish individual, I couldn’t help but be intrigued by the battle axe heads and, ah, more recent finds:

Iron age battle axe heads

More recent finds – see next photo

Danish sense of humour, much like mine!

Finally as Ju nipped to the loo, I had a quick look-see in the cafe, which was adorned with fake carvings from Rome. Nope, wait, what’s this? They were plaster casts of sculptures on the facades of a Rome building, which were taken a hundred years ago. Since the real thing has been exposed to the elements, these casts are now the best impressions available. Surprises amundo today.

Marcus Aurelius, the great stoic philospher himself, in front of one of the casts

What will tomorrow bring? Dunno. Watch this space folks.

Cheers, Jay