Clonycavan Man is the name given to a well-preserved
Iron AgeThe Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
bog bodyBog bodies, which are also known as bog people, are the naturally preserved human corpses found in the sphagnum bogs in Northern Europe. Unlike most ancient human remains, bog bodies have retained their skin and internal organs due to the unusual conditions of the surrounding area...
found in Clonycavan,
County MeathCounty Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
,
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in March 2003. He has been calculated to have been approximately 1.57 metres in height, and is remarkable for the "gel" in his hair.
Only his
torsoTrunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of the many animal bodies from which extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.-Major organs:...
and upper
abdomenIn vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...
are preserved. He was found in a
peatPeat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
harvesting machine, which was possibly responsible for the severing of his lower body. He had a squashed nose and crooked teeth. Pores are visible on the nose, and he had a thin beard.
Clonycavan Man has formed part of an exhibit in the
National Museum of IrelandThe National Museum of Ireland is the national museum in Ireland. It has three branches in Dublin and one in County Mayo, with a strong emphasis on Irish art, culture and natural history.-Archaeology:...
in
Dublin - and featured in the exhibition "Kingship and Sacrifice", 2006-2007.
Death
Clonycavan Man is believed to have been murdered - based on an examination of the evidence found on his body by the
Garda Technical BureauThe Garda Technical Bureau is the longest established Specialist unit in An Garda Síochána. The Bureau comprises eight Sections each providing a specialist service to An Garda Síochána:#Fingerprinting#Ballistics#Photography#Mapping...
(Irish Police Forensic Division). His skull had been split open by a sharp implement. There is a deep wound on the top of his head, and parts of his brain have been found in this wound. There is also a large laceration across the bridge of his nose leading under his right eye. Both injuries seem to have been caused by the same sharp implement, most likely an axe.
Radiocarbon datingRadiocarbon dating is a radiometric dating method that uses the naturally occurring radioisotope carbon-14 to estimate the age of carbon-bearing materials up to about 58,000 to 62,000 years. Raw, i.e. uncalibrated, radiocarbon ages are usually reported in radiocarbon years "Before Present" ,...
has placed his death to between 392 BC and 201 BC, during the
Iron AgeThe Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
of western Europe, making him around 2,300 years old.
Scientific study of his hair has shed light on Clonycavan Man's diet leading up to his death. His diet was rich in vegetables, which indicates that he may have been killed during the warmer summer months of the year. Clonycavan Man was also fairly young at the time of his death, believed to be in his early twenties.
Hair
The most distinguishing feature of the man was his hair, which was in a standing
Mohawk hairstyleThe mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
raised with the help of hair gel: a unique find, considering the body dates from the Iron Age of western Europe. It is believed that this style was intended to make him look taller. The gel was made of plant oil and pine resin, imported from south-western
FranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
or
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. This may attest to trade between Ireland and southern Europe in the fourth and third centuries BC, before Roman influence was brought to bear on the Celts of Iberia and Galicia (Spain). This could also suggest that he was wealthy, as few others would have been able to buy imported cosmetics.