Home Australia Prehistoric cold case is SOLVED – as gruesome study reveals man shot in the face 5,600 years ago was actually killed by an arrow to the chest

Prehistoric cold case is SOLVED – as gruesome study reveals man shot in the face 5,600 years ago was actually killed by an arrow to the chest

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Scientists have finally solved a cold prehistoric case, 5,600 years after it happened

Scientists have finally solved a cold prehistoric case, 5,600 years after it happened.

The skeleton of Porsmose Man was found in 1946, in a peat bog near Næstved, Denmark, with arrows still embedded in the skull and sternum.

His face can now be seen for the first time since his mysterious death, after scientists investigating his murder reconstructed his image from his bones.

In the process, they revealed something contradictory: that the fatal arrow was not the one in his face, but the one in his chest.

Forensic facial reconstructions typically focus on reconstructing the living faces of the dead using their skulls.

But Cicero Moraes, lead author of the new study, said this reconstruction was unique and instead captured the death of the subject.

He said: ‘The aim is usually to find out what the individual’s face looked like.

“But in the present work we were also interested in knowing what injuries could have been caused to the anatomical structure.”

Scientists have finally solved a cold prehistoric case, 5,600 years after it happened

The skeleton of Porsmose Man was found in 1946, in a peat bog near Næstved, Denmark, with arrows still embedded in his skull and sternum.

The skeleton of Porsmose Man was found in 1946, in a peat bog near Næstved, Denmark, with arrows still embedded in his skull and sternum.

He added: “Although the arrow in the face is visually striking and uncomfortable, and could be fatal depending on the situation, it was the one in the chest that impacted important structures.”

The study revealed that the fatal arrow, made of bone, had likely penetrated the man’s brachiocephalic vein, aortic arch and right pulmonary vein, killing him.

To complete their work, the authors began by virtually reconstructing the bones of Porsmose Man, using photographs and measurement data.

Graphics expert Mr Moraes said: “We then reconstructed the face using forensic techniques, creating a bust that included the areas hit by the arrowheads.

«In the chest area, where an arrow hit the sternum, we also reconstructed some other bones and the circulatory system.

“Thus it was possible to determine where the fatal arrow had pierced.”

Moraes said the resulting face was “strong.”

At the time of his death, the Porsmose man was between 35 and 40 years old and was approximately 1.66m tall.

They revealed something contradictory: that the fatal arrow was not the one in his face, but the one in his chest.

They revealed something contradictory: that the fatal arrow was not the one in his face, but the one in his chest.

The study revealed that the fatal arrow, made of bone, had likely penetrated the man's brachiocephalic vein, aortic arch and right pulmonary vein, killing him.

The study revealed that the fatal arrow, made of bone, had likely penetrated the man’s brachiocephalic vein, aortic arch and right pulmonary vein, killing him.

The Porsmose Man

The skeleton of Porsmose Man was found in 1946, in a peat bog near Næstved, Denmark, with arrows still embedded in the skull and sternum.

At the time of his death, he was between 35 and 40 years old and was 1.66 m tall.

Mystery surrounds the circumstances of his murder, but after he was shot in the face and chest, his body fell into the water or was dumped there.

Whether he was executed, killed or fell in battle is lost to history.

Mystery surrounds the circumstances of his murder, but after he was shot in the face and chest, his body fell into the water or was dumped there.

Whether he was executed, killed or fell in battle is lost to history.

The National Museum of Denmark, which houses his remains, pictured him as a murdered farmer in a social media post.

It said: ‘While everyone is fast asleep, strangers enter the house. The dogs growl, but are silenced with clubs.

‘The strangers broke into the yard and set fire to the thatched roofs of the houses.

‘Wake up the family and grab his axe. Together they escape from the burning house. But chaos reigns outside and she loses sight of her children.

‘You can see one of the strangers leaving with his wife. Run after him with the ax raised.

But then he feels a stabbing pain in his chest and the light disappears.

Mystery surrounds the circumstances of his murder, but after he was shot in the face and chest, his body fell into the water or was dumped there.

Mystery surrounds the circumstances of his murder, but after he was shot in the face and chest, his body fell into the water or was dumped there.

“When the next arrow hits your face, you are already on your way to the eternal cornfields of your ancestors.”

The Brazilian team behind the new study is made up of Mr Moraes, forensic dentist Thiago Beaini from the University of Uberlândia, dental surgeon Janaina Paiva Curi and physiotherapist Lis Moura.

They were helped with bibliographical references from the National Museum of Denmark.

They published their study in the magazine OrtogOnLineMag.

HOW ARE BODIES NATURALLY MUMMIFIED?

The Tollund Man (pictured), who lived in the 4th century BC. C., is one of the best studied examples of

The Tollund Man (pictured), who lived in the 4th century BC. C., is one of the best studied examples of “swamp body”

Natural mummification is defined as the process by which the skin and organs of a deceased person or animal are preserved, without the introduction of chemicals by humans.

It is rare and only occurs in specific situations.

These include: extreme cold, arid conditions, or lack of oxygen.

Naturally preserved mummies have been found deposited in deserts, buried in oxygen-poor peat bogs, and frozen in glaciers.

Some ancient societies accidentally encouraged this process by painting bodies and covering the face of the deceased with a mask.

This provided a waterproof layer that allowed the process to take place.

Across the UK, bogs provide the perfect environment for this to happen.

Tollund Man, discovered in Denmark in 1950, is one of the best-studied examples of a “bog body.”

The man, who lived in the 4th century BC, was so well preserved that he was initially mistaken for a recent murder victim.

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