The Ongoing Tales of Lindow Man

Amidst the rich diversity found in the many currents of British Paganisms, a good many Pagans are drawn together by a desire to honour the ancestors. What that means in practice, and indeed who these 'ancestors' are, differs between us and the traditions that guide us. For some, ancestry begins most powerfully with our parents, provoking a commitment of action within our immediate community and family; for others the task leads us into what is often a more private journey of genealogy, old mythology and language. For a good many it inspires a fascination about the oldest traces of our history, of our British or European heritage before the coming of Christianity: a search for glimpses of our ancient ancestors.

Lindow Man is the name used for an incomplete bog body discovered in the marshlands of Cheshire. From the moment he was seen, a flood of stories rose up around him: at first he was thought to be a local woman recently murdered by her husband (he confessed). Over the years, archaeologists and historians have presented theories, declaring him to have been everything from a ritually sacrificed prince to a murdered traveller. He was a man in his mid-twenties, well-groomed and without signs of hard labour on his hands. He was killed in a number of different ways, either for religious reasons or to make sure the lad was thoroughly dead! The date of his death could be between (roughly) 2000 and 1600 years ago, placing it at the beginning or the end of the Roman occupation of these lands. Beyond simple facts, very little is actually known, but what is known is important: he was found in the Lindow marshes. As such, to many Pagans, even if he is not a genetic ancestor, he is a part of their ancestral environment, and as such he is one of our dead. He falls within our spiritual duty of care.

Exhumed in 1984, he was taken to the British Museum, and but for two exhibitions at Manchester, has been down in London ever since. Between April 2008 and March 2009, however, this ancient ancestor is on loan once more, and will be back in the Manchester Museum. HAD has been in negotiation with the museum for over a year, talking about various issues of ancient British human remains, and Lindow Man has been on the agenda. Over the late winter, HAD put together a working party of local Pagans to be an active part of the consultation about how Lindow Man is to be 'displayed' during his stay in Manchester. In mid February, the initial meeting was held with the museum, a dozen of the working party attending, together with museum and university staff, representation from local archaeological groups, community advisory groups and local government. All agreed that it was an enormously successful and inspiring meeting, during which we discussed not only the exhibition, but how he will be welcomed back and ongoing events throughout his year in Manchester. The feeling that he should be repatriated permanently was also agreed as a crucial part of the process. There is genuine respect here, and not only amongst the Pagans.

The Pagan working party, which includes Witches, Druids, Heathens, EcoPagans, Shamans and Magicians from Cheshire, Manchester and Lancashire, is committed to ensure that all local Pagans feel heard in this process. Members of the group will be talking at moots and other events, garnering opinions and ideas. Please get in touch with HAD (office [at] honour [dot] org [dot] uk) if you wish to be involved.

Emma Restall Orr
February 2007