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Archaeologists in London, UK, discovered a 500-year-old male skeleton lying face down in the mud of the Thames.
Researchers at the London Archaeological Museum (MOLA) discovered the mysterious skeleton during a search at Chambers Wharf, in the district of Bermondsey, a place in preparation
The Cause of Skeletal Death n ' has not been determined yet, but the location and orientation of the body – not to mention the leather boots – suggest that the man drowned in the Thames about 500 years ago.
Approximate image of the boots. At the height of the thighs, the boots resemble modern waders – of the type used by fishermen, sailors and mudlarks (people who sift the mud in search of valuables). This man may have fallen tragically on the Thames and drowned while performing his daily routine, according to a statement from MOLA, or he slipped while trying to climb the Bermondsey wall, which scientists say close.
"In studying the boots, we have a fascinating insight into the daily life of a man who lived 500 years ago," said archaeologist MOLA. Beth Richardson said in a statement. "They helped us better understand how he could live in difficult and dangerous conditions, but also how he may have died.It is a privilege to be able to study something so rare and personal "
Richardson and his colleagues say that the boots date back to the fifteenth or early sixteenth century and that they reached the height of the thighs. The boots were made of leather – an expensive material that was often recycled at the time, and was not easy to discard. In addition, the boots were of excellent quality, containing extra soles and a substance, possibly foam, which allowed to create a better fit or warm the body.
According to the researchers, it is unlikely that the man was deliberately buried with the boots on the side.
The authors of the study highlight other clues suggesting that the man found his death by misfortune. It was found face down in the sedimentary deposits of the Thames, one arm on the head and the other folded on itself and on the side – more consistent orientation in case of drowning than in the case of 39, intentional burial. The place itself, in a bend of the river, serves as a natural confluence, where materials and sediments accumulate. The researchers speculate that the body was quickly buried in the mud.
Approximate image of the boots. MOLA
A bone scan revealed no obvious lesions that could have occurred at the time of death, but its skeletal state suggests that the man has lived a difficult life. He was around 35 when he died, but he was already showing signs of skeletal wear. He was suffering from osteoarthritis and his daily life was probably very painful. There were also deep grooves in the teeth, probably caused by repetitive action. The man may have furrowed between his teeth, as the fishermen usually do – another sign that he was making a living in the river.
We will probably never know the full story of this man and the end of his life. but the clues he left are interesting and undeniably sad.
[MOLA Headland Archaeology]
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