The Meenybradden Woman

 

On May 3, 1978 turf cutters in Meenybradden Bod near Ardara, Ireland would find the body of a woman. It was found that the remains were of historical means. Her body would be kept in Dublin's city morgue and stayed in a freezer where the body was damaged. In July 1985 the body would be shipped to the British Museum and examined further.

It's believed that the woman was around 25 to 30 years old and died 1050-1410 CE. It is unknown how she died, but she didn't die violently. She was buried about a meter deep into the bog. It was strange that she was wrapped in a cloak dated by textile typology to the 16 to 17th centuries. However, the cloak was not carbon-dated and it's possible that it was from around the time she died. 

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Mummipedia

Agnaiyaaq or Little Girl

 

In 1994 Coastal Erosion exposed the body of a little girl at Ukkuqsi in the old whaling village of Utqiagvik in Alaska. The little girl was between 5 to 8 years old and lived and died between 800 and 1200. She was a member of the Thule people. Her name was lost, but she is known now as Agnaiyaaq or Little Girl. 

The little girl was loved in life. She was chronically sick in her short life. It was found that she had lung damage due to emphysema, and a rare congenital disorder, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency. Though she was chronically sick her body and burial showed signs that she was well-loved. 

She had evidence in her lungs that she spent much of her life by fire and being cared for and chewing on leather trying to soften them. A little girl helping her family. She however only had clay, leather, and fur in her stomach. It's not believed that she was intentionally starved, but that she and her clan were starving at the time of her death.

With a mixture of her illness and starvation, the girl would pass away. She would be laid to rest carefully. She was buried with a small toboggan made of whale bone likely used to help move her and wrapped in her fur parka. She was then buried in a cold cellar. 

After her scientific look at her body, she was then laid to rest by the Inuit people in Barrow, Alaska. 

SOURCES:

Jstor

Mummipedia

Seattle Times October 1995

Lemon Grove Girls

 

photo

In 1966 a couple of teenage boys were obsessed with archeology. They heard of how in Mexico people were buried or mummified in caves. The boys would spend over a month exploring the caves of Chihuahua, Mexico for a discovery. They were successful in doing so as they discovered a pregnant mother and her child. In order to not be caught they would smuggle the remains over the border to Lemon Grove, California. The boys could not show off their discovery or turn the bodies over to a museum because what they had done was illegal. 

When the two were drafted they asked a friend if they could store the box in their garage. More than likely it was unknown to the friend what was inside the box. In 1980 the friend's mother opened the box while cleaning the garage. She was horrified at the sight and called the police. Where everything was discovered.

The remains were discovered to have lived and died between AD 1040 and AD 1260. The bodies were then donated to the San Diego Museum of Man and the Mexican Government decided to grant the U.S.  custody of them.

The mother was estimated to be around 15-years-old and was around 7 months pregnant and close to giving birth. The infant girl was around 1. It's not stated if the two were related. It's not believed that they were purposly buried. The teenage girl laid with her arms over her head.

One refrence states that a CT scanof the young woman revealed a dislocated shoulder, ossified hematoma on the back of the head, indicating blunt force trauma, and a dislocated hip. These injuries are similar to a fall, and she had died soon after.

Another refrences don't mention their deaths, but that it was suspected from their positions that they may have died in their sleep. 

SOURCES:

Atlas Obscura

Ancient Orgins

The Lemon Grove Mummies

Mumipedia

Possible Murder of Constance of Normandy

Constance of Normandy was born between 1057 to 1061 and was one of nine children of William the Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders. She was considered a favorite by her mother and was considered well accomplished and gifted. Though it wasn't noted the order of birth's of the daughters a monk, William of Jumièges, noted that she was the second oldest among the daughters. 

In 1086 William the Conqueror invaded the Duchy of Britanny and forced its Duke Alan Fergant into submission. He would then arrange a marriage between Constance and the duke. Like her mother, Constance became an administrator. 

There are two contradictory reports on her time as a duchess. William of Malmesbury, an early 12th-century historian, stated that she was unpopular. That she was severe and conservative manner made her unlikable. But according to another, Orderic Vitalis, she was caring, considerate, and well-liked by subjects. Constance would die on 13 August 1090. 

William of Malmesbury would allege that her husband had the lady poisoned through their servants. Constance would be buried at the church of St. Melans, Rhedon, Bretagne, France.  

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

My Heritage

Find a Grave

The History Jar