The Ancient Practice of

Human Self-Sacrifice

 & the "Bog People" remains:

Evidence Provided by the Remains of the Sacrificed

 Tells Thousands-of-years-old Stories...

Dozens upon dozens of the remains of Iron Age Heathens ("Bog Bodies" or remains of the "Bog People") have been unearthed over the past 100-years, most all these displaying evidence of a similar ritualistic killing of these people, and placement of their dead bodies within apparent sacred ponds/bogs. The majority of the remains have revealed much about the identity of these depositions, specifically that most were foreign enemy combatants that perished in battle or as a sacrifice to the Heathen war Gods; and a smaller number of them had evidence of chronic disease & other co-morbidities. The smallest number appear to have been willing self-sacrifices. The remains have been primarily found in the Northern Countries of Europe (Ireland, Germany, Denmark, among them). Archeology\Science has more recently learned volumes of information from these remains, shedding light upon the common Cultural and Religious practices of these Heathen peoples. These practices are known contemporarily as "Water Deposition Rituals"; and such rituals were tied to the liminality of still-waters (pools, ponds, lakes, and particularly bogs) that were viewed as sacred, protective, and a place connected to the Heathen Gods. The majority of archaeological finds recovered from these ancient water depositions are several hundreds of weapons that belonged to defeated enemies (swords, spears/spear-heads) that were ritually damaged (e.g., bent) prior to being deposited; this pertained to each weapon possessing a destructive/deadly purpose and the ritualized sacrifice of such to the sacred water in an effort to safely contain said weapon's death-causing power, as well as it being a demonstration of gratitude to the Heathen Gods that gave victory. This liminal space was always considered an active portal into which deposited offerings could be received by the Gods themselves. These consecrated waters were called HYLR/HYLLI & HULDA/HULDR which had the meaning of "deep concealing waters;" these names seem to both reveal and confirm the purpose of these sacred pools...