15-05-2025
Stunning Scottish isle is only place in Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found
The isle is home to the site of Cladh Hallan, where rare Bronze Age burial discoveries reshaped British archaeology
The captivating Scottish island of South Uist in the Outer Hebrides holds a unique distinction in British archaeology. It is the only location in Great Britain where evidence of prehistoric mummification has ever been discovered, centring around the ancient site of Cladh Hallan.
Archaeological work at the Cladh Hallan Roundhouses, particularly rescue excavations conducted as recently as 2002, unearthed findings that transformed understanding of burial practices in the Bronze Age. A team of archaeologists, including those from the University of Sheffield, uncovered skeletal remains buried beneath the floor of a roundhouse.
Though soft tissue had long decomposed, scientific tests revealed these bodies had undergone deliberate preservation.
Analysis, including tests carried out by the University of Manchester, confirmed the remains were mummified. The technique involved placing the bodies in a peat bog shortly after death, a process that lasted between six to eighteen months, according to information from Explore South Uist.
This bog environment caused distinctive changes to the bone structure and allowed some soft tissue to survive, enabling the skeletons to remain articulated for millennia. Experts describe this as an entirely local innovation, unlike contemporary methods seen in Ancient Egypt.
One of the most remarkable findings was the composite nature of the bodies. DNA tests showed that some burials were deliberately created from the parts of multiple different individuals, arranged to appear as single bodies.
For instance, one burial, initially thought to be female, was composed of parts from three people and included a male skull, according to the BBC.
Another example described a composite skeleton where the head and jaw came from different individuals than the rest of the body, with death dates centuries apart, notes The Megalithic Portal.
The motivations behind this complex practice remain a profound mystery. Evidence indicates the mummified bodies were not buried immediately but were kept above ground for hundreds of years, potentially between 300 and 500 years after death, before being buried under the houses, according to the BBC.
Theories suggest this could be linked to religious beliefs, ancestor worship, or the idea that the mummies played an active role in the community, perhaps offering spiritual guidance.
The remains were found within the foundations of a row of unusual Bronze Age terraced roundhouses. They were placed in the common crouch burial position, and mummification may have facilitated positioning the bodies so tightly.
The discoveries at Cladh Hallan have led archaeologists to investigate other crouch burials across Britain for signs of mummification.
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Early results from a sample in Cambridge have shown promising indications of preservation, according to the BBC. Experts believe more instances of deliberate mummification in Britain may exist, having previously been overlooked.
Today, the Cladh Hallan site near Daliburgh on South Uist can be visited. The stone outlines of reconstructed roundhouses are visible within the former sand quarry area.
While only a small portion has been excavated, walking over the unexcavated mound gives an idea of the settlement's original size.
Getting to the site involves following a sandy track west from Daliburgh. Visitors should be aware that walking on the machair carries a risk of twisting ankles in rabbit burrows.
