Page "Lindow Man" Paragraph 16

Lindow Man's last meal was preserved in his stomach and intestines and was analysed in some detail.

It was hoped that investigations into the contents of the stomach would shed light on the contemporary diet, as was the case with Grauballe Man and Tollund Man in the 1950s.

The analysis of the contents of the digestive system of bog bodies had become one of the principal endeavours of investigating such remains.

Analysis of the grains present revealed his diet to be mostly of cereals.

He probably ate slightly charred bread, although the burning may have had ritual significance rather than being an accident.

Some mistletoe pollen was also found in the stomach, indicating that Lindow Man died in around March or April.

One of the conclusions of the study was that the people buried in Lindow Moss may have had a less varied diet than their European counterparts.

According to Jody Joy, curator of the Iron Age collection at the British Museum, the importance of Lindow Man lies more in how he lived rather than how he died, as the circumstances surrounding his demise may never be fully established.