Bodies From the Bog by James Deem

Imagine bodies thousands of years old that are so well preserved they are mistaken for recent murder victims. Bog bodies have been raising alarm throughout the peat bogs of Northern Europe for just this reason. One man even confessed to killing his wife when he heard that a well-preserved body was found in a bog near his home! Bodies From the Bog contains photos and descriptions of some of the most famous and well-preserved bog bodies. Through brief chapters and accessible language, readers learn why the bog environment is ideal for natural mummification and the theories behind why most of the bodies appear to have met violent deaths. While this is not a book most students would choose independently, its material may be useful for a Living Environment or Global History lesson, and can be found in Passages Academy’s classroom collections.

Deem, James. Bodies From the Bog. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2003.