cover image The Bog Man and the Archaeology of People

The Bog Man and the Archaeology of People

Don Brothwell. Harvard University Press, $19.95 (136pp) ISBN 978-0-674-07732-4

Radiocarbon dating has revealed that the Lindow Man, an ancient body discovered in a Cheshire, England, bog in 1984, is 2000 years old. Employing sophisticated technology, a group of scientists sought to answer questions about the death of the ""bog man,'' his diet and his social status, among other matters, which the author, a reader in zooarchaeology at the University of London's Institute of Archaeology, discusses in detail. Brothwell also looks at Lindow Man in light of international research on other preserved bodies from many areas and times. ``Our ancestors,'' Brothwell concludes, ``are an integral part of our archaeology and history.'' Imported from the British Museum of Natural History, this unusual book's potential audience is not limited to scientistsgeneral readers will find Brothwell's account of the Lindow Man investigation a fascinating and absorbing prehistoric detective story. The 100 black-and-white illustrations include drawings, charts, diagrams and photos of mummies. (October)