Cladh Hallan Mummies

[Cygnus]

While these people predate the kilt by quite a bit, I still found this story and the new findings it presents very interesting:

Cladh Hallan Mummies

[Bugbear]

Hmmm, that's interesting. I was just reading about the Pagan and prehistoric burial practices of the assorted peoples of the British Isles, and Ireland. I will add a copy of the article to my archives; thanks for posting it.

[Dale Seago]

Certainly puts an interesting slant on the idea of being forever "among one's people".

[Bugbear]

In the book I was looking through there was archeologically based discussion of lots of removing of bones after decomposition, re-burying of bones, as well as, the burial of sacrificed people and animals all kind of mixed together. Lots and lots of discussion of "defleshing." I don't recall seeing anything on this exact subject, though.

The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy, by Ronald Hutton (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1993-2001).

In the posted article it is stated "As part of ancestral worship, the mummies probably would have been asked for spiritual advice to help the community make decisions." I would be nervous about assuming or asserting that, going by the book I sited, but I'm not within a million miles of being an expert.

[tulloch]

That is fascinating. Thanks for the link.

[Chas]

Strange, the text repeats 'mummies' often, but the pictures look for all the world like skeletons with no flesh present.

Regards

Chas

[mookien]

Cygnus: Thanks for posting.

Chas: I can only conclude that the skeletons are referred to as mummies because the ancients did something to preserve the bones. Note the sentence ...

"Sheffield University Professor Mike Parker Pearson said the mummies had not been buried straight after preservation and are similar to those found in distant Peru in South America."

[Chas]

If memory serves (and often these days it doesn't), some of the Peruvian mummies had enough skin so you could tell that one of them had acne! I really want to know more about this.

Regards

Chas