Medieval Bones Burst From Ground

The tree, blown over in a storm

The skeleton of a Medieval teenager has literally burst from the ground when storms in Sligo, Ireland, blew over a massive, centuries-old beech tree, revealing bones entangled in the roots.

“The upper part of the skeleton was raised into the air trapped within the root system,” archaeologists Marion Dowd of Sligo-Leitrim Archaeological Services, said in a statement.

“The lower leg bones, however, remained intact in the ground. Effectively as the tree collapsed, it snapped the skeleton in two,” Dowd said.

Analysis of the bones and radiocarbon dating suggest the remains belonged to a 17-20-year-old man who lived in the early Medieval period, between 1030 and 1200 A.D.

The leg bones still in the ground
news.discovery.com...
Got to be the creepiest archaeological incident I've ever heard about

a reply to: Marduk

I read about this yesterday. It almost seems like something out of a cheesy '80's horror movie. I hope no cheerleaders go there after dark...Medieval Ghost Teen might get grabby.

originally posted by: the owlbear
a reply to: Marduk

I read about this yesterday. It almost seems like something out of a cheesy '80's horror movie. I hope no cheerleaders go there after dark...Medieval Ghost Teen might get grabby.

Totally

Tree Zombie, coming to a cinema near you soon

a reply to: the owlbear

This totally reminded me of that movie Sleepy Hollow with Johnny Depp, with that freaky tree and the headless horseman's body buried at it.


Amazing that the force of the tree blowing over ripped the femurs of the skeleton - must've been quite the storm

originally posted by: FamCore
Amazing that the force of the tree blowing over ripped the femurs of the skeleton - must've been quite the storm

Wouldn't that indicate that the tree was planted after the burial and the roots then penetrated the upper part of the body, so maybe, he was buried by his kin who planted a tree on the spot as a memorial. A practice from the mists of time that we still do today, Mbwahahaha, mwahahah, mwahahaha etc

If we only knew what we walked over every day, I bet we would be amazed. Can you imagine walking around after a storm and see a skull staring back at you from a pile of roots? I think it is pretty amazing that a person who was forgotten in time suddenly reappears after hundreds of years by nothing more than a gust of wind. Pretty neat if you ask me.

a reply to: Marduk

That's a plausible theory, except the tree is not 800-1,000 years old. It's a big beech tree, but not that big IMHO.

a reply to: Marduk

I hope there are no SyFy channel producers on ATS!
I think you just gave them the title for their next craptacular Saturday night movie.

originally posted by: paraphi
a reply to: Marduk

That's a plausible theory, except the tree is not 800-1,000 years old. It's a big beech tree, but not that big IMHO.

Beech trees can live for over a thousand years, especially coppiced beech. I imagine most species of tree reaches an optimal size and stops growing. So it is quite possible.

It was also my first impression that is was purposfully planted on top of the body.

originally posted by: the owlbear
a reply to: Marduk

I hope there are no SyFy channel producers on ATS!
I think you just gave them the title for their next craptacular Saturday night movie.

Could be a sequel to this one

which is truly awful

The story I read on it said that they think he was buried well before the tree grew. It also said that there was supposedly a grave yard in the area. They think he was buried by his kin/group because he was buried in a traditional way with his head and feet pointing in the right directions. The story also said he likely died a pretty violent death because they found stab markings all over, including one through his hand/wrist that made them think he was protecting himself.

All we need for this story is Bruce Campbell and his "boom stick".

Is it too soon to be making jokes about this poor kids death?

ETA: in all seriousness...what are the chances that this tree was planted over the grave of this person when he was buried?

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
All we need for this story is Bruce Campbell and his "boom stick".

Is it too soon to be making jokes about this poor kids death?

ETA: in all seriousness...what are the chances that this tree was planted over the grave of this person when he was buried?

LOL....I think 800 years is plenty of time.

From what I read, they found some history of the area and there was a graveyard there though they have not found any markers. It could have been planted when he died, but it could also have been planted much later and the graveyard "disappeared" over time. Who knows if it was even planted....could have been a bird "dropped" the seed flying overhead and it happened to land right over this guys grave.

originally posted by: Nexttimemaybe
Beech trees can live for over a thousand years, especially coppiced beech. I imagine most species of tree reaches an optimal size and stops growing. So it is quite possible
.

This tree was not coppiced. Beech trees are long-lifed, but the size of the tree is not 800 years old. Therefore the tree grew on top of a pre-existing skeleton. That is not to say it was not purposefully planted, but we'll never know.

From another report

The 215-year-old tree was uprooted in May in Collooney, a town in the county of Sligo,

www.livescience.com...

Guess that answers the question

www.tree2mydoor.com...

Beech trees can develop into giants which tower over all other woodland trees and can live to 300 years.

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
ETA: in all seriousness...what are the chances that this tree was planted over the grave of this person when he was buried?

Round about zero percent

a reply to: Marduk

in that case, you better get that boom stick loaded.....

originally posted by: bigfatfurrytexan
a reply to: Marduk

in that case, you better get that boom stick loaded.....

ok I'll shop smart, I'll shop S Mart

a reply to: Marduk

Hey Marduk,
Yes that is creepy.
I wonder whether the boys death was an act of criminality or war?

A couple of side notes , in Amish communities, when a "witch" dies ,they are buried in an unmarked grave and a tree is planted on the grave.
The roots of the tree bind the evil spirit of the witch to soil, while it still stands. If the tree is uprooted, then the spirit is released to posses a new innocent soul.

And when I was in high school, one of my teachers was the local forensic anthropologist.
He was called out to asses a set of bones eroding out of a seasonal river bank
The bones were encased in the roots of a large ash tree, that was at least 200 years old.
Upon examination the bones were found to not be native Americans, but those of a Caucasian woman.
It was quite to local story for about a minute, then everybody forgot about it.
It's my view she was an intrepid partner of either a French, British or Russian fur trapper.
The Spanish had made no meaningful forays into the central valley at that time , but Russians then British and finally French trappers all worked the local rivers for beaver pelts.

originally posted by: punkinworks10
a reply to: Marduk

Hey Marduk,
Yes that is creepy.
I wonder whether the boys death was an act of criminality or war?

He had defensive wounds on his hands and was then stabbed to death, I would think that suggests criminality, he was probably messing with the wrong daughter...

originally posted by: Marduk

originally posted by: punkinworks10
a reply to: Marduk

Hey Marduk,
Yes that is creepy.
I wonder whether the boys death was an act of criminality or war?

He had defensive wounds on his hands and was then stabbed to death, I would think that suggests criminality, he was probably messing with the wrong daughter...

kinda what I was thinking

2nd