ABSTRACT
During the conflicts this century in Ireland numerous deaths have resulted. Some of these bodies have been placed in bogs and are identifiable to recent events by their clothing or other associated objects, but many bodies from these wetland sites have origins further in the past. Some are even of prehistoric date and have relevance beyond archaeology, in that they provide further information on the long-term taphonomy of bodies in bogs, and of a range of trauma and pathology in a series of individuals showing much variation in preservation. In some cases, preservation looks remarkably good, yet survival of DNA in these acid wetlands is known to be very poor.
