Bog finds, Wetlands, Logboats

Presumably ancient lakes and moors were used for sacrifice. In recent times many finds have been made in bogs and moss: deliberately bent swords, logboats, other boats and executed people. The archaeology of remains in wet environments is also called wetland archaeology.

Hundreds of logboats (dugouts) have been found in bogs and sweetwater lakes. The oldest are c 9000 years old, and the youngest are c 250 years old (in most of Europe), in some places only c 100 years old (Baltic States and Russia). Most logboats found in bogs are probably not sacrificed offerings, but simply abandoned in lakes or riverbeds that later dried-out.

Various bogfinds

• Nydam, Denmark. Sacrificed weapons and boats from ca 200-450 AD found in a bog.
• Illerup, Denmark. Sacrificed weapons and other objects from Roman Iron Age found in a bog.
• Finnestorp, Sweden. Large sacrifice site from ca 350-550 AD. Some finds are in a bog, other finds are underwater on the adjacent riverbed. During the 2002 fieldwork, archaeologists Bengt Nordqvist and Roland Peterson found two bent swords, a knife and crushed horse bones. (photo to the right)
• Bodies of the Bogs, Archaeology, December 1997 

Wetland archaeology

• Wetland Archaeology & Environments Research Centre, University of Hull, UK

Logboats

• National Museum of Dublin displays a very large logboat. It is made of oak, and over 10 metres long. In Ireland, more than 400 logboats have been found.
• Estonian Maritime Museum displays a logboat built as recently as the 1880s.
• More logboats are listed among the Nordic and Worldwide finds, and replicas.