Treasures from European Bogs Come to Canada
Gatineau, Quebec, December 5, 2002 — The Canadian Museum of Civilization is proud to announce the opening of The Mysterious Bog People, an international exhibition project describing 10,000 years of rituals and sacrifice in northwestern Europe and presenting over 400 artifacts never before displayed in North America.
Since ancient times, bogs had a particular significance for people who lived in northwestern Europe. Shrouded in mists and often seeming dangerous and frightening, the bogs were used by local people to sacrifice their most valuable items in rituals that remain a mystery to this day.
"This exhibition offers archaeology, mystery and discovery at their best," says Dr. Victor Rabinovitch, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation. "The Mysterious Bog People is based on meticulous conservation work and historical research, engaging the visitor with compelling questions and possibilities."
The artifacts unearthed over the past two centuries in northwestern Europe bear witness to the special significance of the bogs for the European ancestors of many people now living in North America. These objects yield clues that help us better understand the cultures of northwestern Europe through the ages.
On display will be finds such as pottery, flint tools, axes, jewellery, coins, agricultural tools and human remains. One of the key artifacts is the Pesse wooden dugout canoe, the oldest known boat in the world, which has been carbon dated to between 8040 and 7510 B.C. Its condition demonstrates the extraordinary preservation qualities of the bog environment. Also on display are the oldest preserved wheel and the remains of an ancient temple.
The exhibition explores the scientific techniques and forensic analysis used to determine the age of the objects found in the bogs and the physical characteristics of human remains, even to the contents of the individual's final meal. Two extraordinary examples of the facial reconstruction of bog bodies — "Yde girl," a 16-year-old girl discovered in the Netherlands, and Red Franz, an adult man found in Germany — will be examined in the exhibition.
The Mysterious Bog People is the first-ever international exhibition tour of significant archaeological finds from European bogs. It is produced in partnership by four major European and Canadian museums — the Niedersächsisches Landesmuseum in Hanover, Germany, the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Canada, the Glenbow Museum in Calgary, Canada, and the Drents Museum in Assen, Netherlands. This is the largest international collaborative project ever undertaken by the partner museums. It is presented in Canada by AIM Trimark Investments.
The Mysterious Bog People — the Canadian Museum of Civilization's must-see exhibition for 2003 — will be on display from December 6, 2002 to September 1, 2003. It will then be presented at the Glenbow Museum in Calgary.
FACT SHEETS
Media Information:
Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7167
Media Relations Officer
Canadian Museum of Civilization
Tel.: (819) 776-7169
Fax: (819) 776-7187
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