‘Bellaghy Boy’ reclassed as ‘Ballymacombs More Woman’ following fresh research into Derry bog body

Transcript

00:00The archaeology unit within the body recovery team were alerted to human bones on the surface

00:17of the peatland here in Balahi.

00:19At first we couldn't be sure if the remains were ancient or a result of a more recent

00:22death, so we proceeded to recover the body with full forensic consideration.

00:26A certified forensic anthropologist carried out a post-mortem which determined the remains

00:30were that of an adolescent, possibly a male, between the ages of 13 and 17 years.

00:36Radiocarbon analysis dated the remains to be at approximately 500 BC.

00:40And unlike some other bog bodies, the individual skeleton was well preserved and had the presence

00:45of partial skin, fingernails in the left hand, toenails and a kidney.

00:51This is the first time radiocarbon dating has been used on a bog body in Northern Ireland

00:55and it's the only one to still exist, making this a truly unique archaeological discovery.