Tollund Man: The 2,400-Year-Old Bog Body That Still Fascinates the World

I have always been a little uneasy about human bodies in museums, regardless of their age. It isn’t a disquiet based on religion, but around the issue of permission.  I’m opting for cremation when my last page turns, and that will avoid me becoming the Tollund Man of the year 4000 no matter what the cause of my demise (hopefully). I wouldn’t want people gawping at my human remains – although I can think of any number of people who would probably relish the thought of people looking at them thousands of years in the future. Not my kind of immortality, I’m afraid!  We will obviously never know what Tollund Man or Grauballe Man, two of Denmark's most famous 'bog bodies,' preserved for over 2,000 years in peat bogs might  think of the ultimate fate of their bodies.  It’s unlikely that they would even understand the concept of a museum, let alone their place in it.  And besides, besides, besides…

On to the video. Ole Nielsen of the Silkeborg Museum walks us through the discovery of Tollund Man, whose case was as cold as can be (even though his death was not natural), but whose face is the best-preserved from pre-history that we have and who gives us many clues about what life was like in the way back when.  The team at the museum also use cutting-edge technology to see more of Tollund Man’s physiology – and the results are remarkable.  What I always find even more fascinating, though, are the reconstructions of ancient faces - and there is one at the museum which shows us what Tollund Man would have looked like just before he died.  I used that to ask AI to visualise him in his native habitat - that's the image you see at the top of this post.

As I said, I do have some reservations around bodies being exhibited in museums, but was a little comforted (if that is quite the right word) by one of the comments on the video by @LPdedicated.  It goes: “I worked at Silkeborg Museum and every morning when I opened the exhibition, I would just sit in the room with the Tollund man in silence for a few minutes before I went to my office… Fun fact: every year at the start of November his birthday is celebrated at campus".  So, although he could never envision what would happen to him after his death let alone give permission, at least Tollund Man had some at least one thoughtful companion in the museum.  I am sure the commenter is not the only one to have spent time reflecting in this manner – and there aren’t many people who have been dead 2,400 years whose birthdays are still celebrated. So perhaps TM wouldn't be too unhappy about it, after all.

I digress.  Watch the fascinating video about the Danish bog bodies below.

Out of a Forest

At certain times of the year families get together, sit around a table and eat and talk. Such is the case with this extended family of rabbits but there is danger lurking in the background…

This is Tobias Gundorff Boesen’s Bachelor film from The Animation Workshop. It is set to the song "Slow Show" by The National, who were kind enough to allow him to use their music (well it makes for a very memorable promo after all!). It is a non-commercial short film, intended for festivals – and it has won many!.

It was shot in the forests surrounding Viborg, Denmark. Boesen’s main inspiration was Victorian literature, and "Boxer" by The National. It was painful to finish, as shooting stop motion in the forest at night for longer periods turned out to offer a lot of problems. I think (or hope!) that you will agree that is was worth all the effort.  Plus I love the surprise ending!

The Danish Poet - Academy Award Winner, Best Animated Short Film 2006

I am thrilled to little pieces to be able to share The Danish Poet with you.  Created in a 2006 this animated short film was written, directed, and animated by Torill Kove and narrated by Liv Ullmann.

This delightful animated film focuses on Kasper Jørgensen a sad and lonely Danish poet in the 1940s.  His psychiatrist suggests that he travels on the ferry from Copenhagen to Norway to meet his favorite author, Sigrid Undset.

He agrees but gets waylaid by the Norwegian weather and takes refuge at a farm where he meets Ingeborg, the farmer’s daughter.

The two fall in love but fate gets in the way.  How Kasper and Ingeborg finally get together is something, I think, for you to discover for yourself but (without spoiling any surprise) it is more than their own fates that are at stake here.

The Danish Poet is a co-production of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and Mikrofilm AS of Norway, it has won both the Academy Award (the Oscar!) and Genie Award for best animated short film in 2006.

Hyuro to Create The Longest Street Art in Denmark

You have to admit it - this wall is dull. Very, very dull. In fact it's crying out to be adorned by something wonderful before it gets covered in tag after mindless tag. How about something like this?

The Danish authorities agree. In May 2013 Spanish street artist Hyuro will transform a very long and dull wall in Copenhagen into the longest coherent piece of street art in Denmark. The artwork will be 271 meters long and located in Copenhagen.