Site Event/Activity record ECH6985 - 1987 Excavation and Environmental Sampling at Lindow Moss following the discovery of Lindow III

Following the discovery of the remains of bog bodies in 1983 and 1984 (Lindow I and Lindow II/Lindow man, CHER 1473/0/1-2), the remains of a third body (Lindow III, CHER 1473/0/3) were found at Lindow Moss during commercial peat extraction in February 1987. The first part of the body was found at the peat depot and, over the next few days, over 70 pieces of the body were recovered by hand-sorting already excavated peat by archaeologists led by Rick Turner (see library linked pictures of recovery of the body parts, including sorting peat already loaded into railway tubs). The body must have broken up during machine excavation and subsequent loading of the peat. Two body parts were lifted in blocks, a hand with fingernails attached, the other a leg. Investigations of many tons of peat continued into March and various sieving techniques were trialled. The approximate original position of the body was identified circa 55m north of the find spot of the Lindow I head (the body parts and the head are thought to be the body of a single, adult male). Following the initial recovery of the body, an excavation was undertaken at the site of the assumed original position of the body (Trench 1). A further two trenches (Trenches 2 and 3) were dug to investigate two sand islands projecting from the peat on the western fringes of the moss which were considered good candidates for the location of potential settlements contemporary with the bog bodies. They were also investigated to help understand the relationship of the sand islands to the peat bog surrounding them. The three trenches were dug over four weeks in July and August 1987, see below for further details. The excavations were funded by the British Museum, English Heritage and Cheshire County Council. (See sources 1-5 for accounts of the discovery of Lindow III and the 1987 excavations) Trench 1: A 10m length of standing head of peat was excavated, with the turf heap which produced body parts of Lindow III, at its centre. The body must have been dug from a point no more than 6m (the maximum reach of the excavator's arm) out from either side of the trench. A 30m length of the eastern section was drawn with the trench at its centre; all peat monoliths, bulk samples and cores were taken from this section. Excavation of the base of the spoil heap revealed a broad ditch running parallel to the head which had removed the western half of the area of peat, this left an area of circa 10m by 6m of intact stratigraphy. This was investigated, revealing layers of the peat bog consisting of sphagnum peat containing thinner lenses of more humified peats; pressure cracks caused some rotation of the stratigraphy. No further body parts were recovered from in situ deposits, nor were any associated artefacts, structures or other features observed, however, peat monoliths, samples and cores were recovered for analysis. At the same time as trench 1 was excavated, much of the remainder of the peat head was machine-excavated under archaeological supervision, with special emphasis given to the area where the head, Lindow I, was found in 1983; no finds were recovered. Trench 2: A deep drainage ditch defined the north-west boundary of the peat company's holding and cut through the western sand island. Earlier investigation of the drainage ditch had occurred in 1984 after the discovery of Lindow II/Lindow Man (see ECH3244). A ditch was observed within the drainage ditch, filled with sand and charcoal fragments and buried by circa 1m of peat (see CHER 1472/0/1). The investigations in 1987 recorded a section of the ditch, with the junction of the sand and peat at its centre. In the break of slope of the sand island, there was an accumulation of layers of peat and sand with numerous charcoal fragments, possibly resulting from clearance of vegetation and cultivation by man. This was followed by the development of fenn carr woodland and then sphagnum peat. A 4m by 2m trench (Trench 2) was excavated alongside the section to investigate the charcoal-rich deposit; samples were taken for radio-carbon dating. Subsequent radio carbon analysis of the charcoal deposit produced a date of 4980 +/- 70 B.P or 3030 be (HAR 8875). (Source 3, p.17, also Source 11) Trench 3: A circa 36m by 2m trench was excavated across the second more easterly sand island, higher than the first and extending further into the peat bog. The trench was located down the hill slope and into the bog fringe. Above the level of the peat, on the island, four modern postholes were recorded. More significantly, within the B horizon of the podsol, a small scatter of flints (CHER 1474/0/2), were found consisting of circa 21 pieces, including two blades, a possible scraper, and small waste flakes in a non-local, grey-brown flint suggestive of a Neolithic date. The pieces were probably in the position where they fell and may represent a single visit to the island. The junction of sand and peat in this trench was similar to trench 2. The flints may be contemporary with the charcoal horizon. Pollen analysis of peat columns recovered during the 1987 excavation, by the Ancient Monuments Laboratory, English Heritage, demonstrated a major vegetational change at Lindow Moss which correlates to the Recurrence surface of approximately 500 B.C. found in peat bogs in N.W. Europe. This surface/horizon is believed to be due to a major climatic deterioration. (Source 6) In 1991, a seminar was held in Cardiff, organised by Rick Turner, to allow all the researchers invested in the bog body project to come together and present/discuss their findings (source 7). Following this, The British Museum funded the production of a monograph which pulled together the different strands of research, this was published in 1995, entitled 'Bog Bodies. New Discoveries and New Perspectives' (source 3). First-hand account, by Velson Horie the conservator from Manchester Museum, of the discovery and excavation of four sets of human remains (Lindow I-IV) from Lindow Moss in the years 1983–1988. (Source 8) Basic rectification of the plan of the 1987 excavations (as published in 'Bog Bodies. New Discoveries and New Perspectives', Turner & Scaife, 1995, Fig.5, p.15, SCH4324) has enabled more accurate location of the three trenches, the extent of the sand islands, also, potentially, the bog bodies themselves. The rectification of Trench 3 appears to coincide with earthworks visible on air photographs dating to 1991-3, also on Lidar imagery. (Sources 9-10) Published Harwell radiocarbon date, 1991. HAR-8875 LINDPODZ. 4980 +/- 70. Charcoal and soil, AML 876165, from sand island within peat bog at Lindow Moss, Cheshire (NGR 820805). Collected and submitted October 1987 by M. Canti. (Source 11)