2,400-year-old mummy so well preserved that scientists can get fingerprints

One of the best-preserved "bog bodies" in history, Tollund Man was discovered with a noose around his neck, leading researchers to conclude that he was the victim of human sacrifice.

On May 6, 1950, brothers Viggo and Emil Hojgaard were mining peat on the Jutland peninsula in Denmark when they accidentally discovered a body.

They immediately called the police, thinking they had stumbled upon a recent murder victim. Although the body's features suggested that he had died recently, the clothing of the body suggested otherwise. He was wearing a pointed sheepskin and wool hat, as well as a braided animal skin noose still around his neck. His skin, hair, and fingernails were tan, like his skin.

It was quickly determined that this was not a recent murder victim, but instead a bog body — a corpse that had been naturally mummified and preserved in the peat bog for thousands of years.

The man became known as Tollund Man after the nearby Danish village, and the body's remarkable preservation after two millennia remains shocking to this day.

Tollund Man's body can be seen at the Silkeborg Museum in Denmark. However, most of the body has withered due to poor preservation techniques at the time of its discovery. Only the head, feet, and thumbs remain in their original state.

Carbon dating determined that Tollund Man's remains were over 2,000 years old , dating from around 405 to 380 BC, during the pre-Roman Iron Age in Scandinavia . The man was estimated to be around 40 years old when he died - hanged.

Although it has been suggested that Tollund Man may have been executed because he was a criminal, most experts 'tend to agree that his killing was a type of ritual sacrifice to the gods' , according to information from  the Smithsonian . 

Tollund Man's facial features and internal organs, including his heart, lungs, and liver, were remarkably well preserved, although the skin on his arms and hands was reduced to tissue and hardened bone. The body was placed in a fetal position, with his eyes closed and his mouth relaxed into a faint smile.

Tollund Man was in such good condition that scientists were able to take his fingerprints when he was discovered. Even Tollund Man's internal organs were found to be in good condition, and analysis of his stomach showed that he had eaten his last meal between 12 and 24 hours before his death. Based on the ingredients, the meal was likely a porridge made primarily of flaxseed and barley.

Bog bodies like Tollund Man have been found in peat bogs across northern Europe.

Most bog bodies like Tollund Man have been excavated in Northern Europe and date from the Bronze and Iron Ages.

According to author Christian Fischer in his book "Mummies, Disease and Ancient Culture" , it is estimated that 122 complete bog bodies have been found and can be identified, although some estimates put the number as high as 1,400.

According to Smithsonian , nearly all of the bodies found in the bog appear to have been killed in some kind of sacrificial or punitive ritual. According to archaeology professor and author Peter Vilhelm Glob , the bodies may have been sacrificed to the pagan goddess Nerthus , also known as Mother Earth, who is associated with peace and prosperity.

The first recorded bog bodies were found in the 17th century. One was discovered in Germany in 1640, believed to be the first bog body ever discovered, and a peat cutter in Northern Ireland found another mummified body in 1780, leading to what is believed to be the first published account of bog bodies.

To date, the oldest bog body discovered is called Koelbjerg Man , whose remains date back to around 8,000 BC. His entire body was never found, only a skull and bone fragments, but it is the oldest human skeleton ever found in Denmark.

Many historians believe that many of the bodies in this bog may be related . This theory was reinforced when another bog body was discovered just 260 feet (about 80 meters) away from where Tollund Man was found. 

A peat bog on the Hill of Snowy Slack, Scotland.

Bog bodies like Tollund Man are often said to be 'naturally mummified' due to the bodies being remarkably preserved by the natural elements.

The water in peat bogs is highly acidic due to their proximity to cold, salty waters, such as the North Sea in Scandinavia. The high salt content allows peat moss to grow freely in the bog, and as the moss rots, it releases significant amounts of acid into the bog.

According to the Silkeborg Museum, the water in these bogs has a pH that is almost equal to that of vinegar, causing any human remains left in the bogs to be preserved in a similar way to vegetables pickled in vinegar - the acid prevents bacteria from thriving, which can cause the body to spoil and decompose.

Tollund Man is extremely well preserved due to the environmental conditions of the bog.

All the bodies in the bog were placed in water during the winter, when the water temperature was below 4 degrees Celsius. These temperatures are similar to those of a refrigerator and prevent bacteria from growing.