The Mystery of the Bocksten Man
Discovery in the Bog
The Bocksten Man is a medieval body found in a bog in Varberg Municipality, Sweden. This discovery, one of Europe’s best-preserved finds from that era, is displayed at the Halland Museum of Cultural History. The man had been killed and impaled at the bottom of a lake, which later turned into a bog. This bog lies in Rolfstorp, Halland County, 24 kilometers east of Varberg, near the medieval road Via Regia. In 2006, experts reconstructed his face to show his likely appearance in life, displaying it alongside his skeleton.
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Initial Discovery
In the 1880s, a farm called Bocksten was established near the bog. The bog was regularly drained, and peat was gathered. Farm owner Albert Johansson previously found a leather shoe in the wetland, which he gave to the Varberg County Museum. In the summer of 1934, a shoe sole was found in the bog. On June 22, 1936, Johansson’s son Thure discovered the body while gathering peat. His harrow caught on sackcloth, revealing parts of a skeleton. Johansson informed the local police and a doctor, who realized it was too old for criminal investigation.
Excavation and Examination
Johan Albert Sandklef, director of the Varberg County Museum, led the excavation. He invited naturalist and geologist Lennart von Post from Stockholm University. On June 24, they measured and photographed the find before excavating it. The harrow had damaged the upper parts of the body, but the lower parts remained intact.
Conservation Efforts
The Swedish Museum of National Antiquities assisted with conservation after midsummer. Curator Gillis Olson and textile expert Agnes Teresa Geijer participated. They joined Sandklef in documenting and conserving the remains. The Bocksten Man has been exhibited at the museum since 1937.
Detailed Description
The Bocksten Man was between 170-180 centimeters tall and had a slender build. His right side of the cranium had an injury measuring 8 by 5 centimeters. Some internal organs, such as parts of the lungs, liver, and brain, were preserved. The man had been impaled with two poles, one through his heart and another through his back.
Clothing and Artifacts
The man’s tunic is one of the best-preserved medieval tunics in Europe, made of wool. He wore a gugel hood with a 90-centimeter long liripipe. His upper body had a shirt and cloak, while his legs were covered by hosiery. Besides clothing, he had a fabric bag, foot coverings, leather shoes, a belt, a leather sheath, and two knives. The leather sheath featured a design similar to the Union Jack.
Interpretations and Theories
Dating the Find
Experts date the Bocksten Man to the 14th century, based on his clothing. Albert Sandklef dated it to the 1360s, while Margareta Nockert suggested the 1330s. Owe Wennerholm argued the hood type was used from 1250 to 1520. Radiocarbon dating of the cloth showed a 68% chance of a date between 1290 and 1410 and a 95% chance between 1290 and 1430. The bog’s conditions and conservation process might affect these results.
Estimating His Age
Forensic odontologist Gunnar Johansson estimated the man’s age between 25 and 35 years based on his teeth. Osteologist Nils-Gustaf Gevall estimated an age between 35 and 40 years, with the possibility of him being up to 60 years old.
Social Background
The hood suggested a higher social status, possibly a tax collector or soldier recruiter. It was also used in the Roman Catholic Church, leading to speculation he belonged to the Ordine di Santo Spirito.
Local Legend
Shortly after the discovery, a local farmer shared a legend with Sandklef. It told of a soldier recruiter killed by peasants and buried in a bog to stop his haunting. They impaled his body to end the haunting. Despite this, no locals remembered the legend when questioned.
Cause of Death
In January 2006, a professor and doctor at Sahlgrenska University Hospital performed an “operation” on a plastic model of the body. They concluded he was first hit on the lower jaw, then the right ear, and finally the back of his head, causing death.
Possible Identity
Some hypothesize the Bocksten Man was Simon Gudmundi, a 15th-century priest who died in 1491. Owe Wennerholm suggested this in his 1998 book, noting Gudmundi’s likely presence in the area and his work to canonize Catherine of Vadstena. Speculation arose that Gudmundi was killed to allow Hemming Gadh to assume his position.
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