Dannike Woman

The Dannike Woman , also known as the witch from Dannike and the mysterious woman from Dannike , was a woman who lived in the 17th century, whose body was found in a raised bog in western Sweden in 1942. The woman's identity is unknown, and there is a lack of common consensus on the likely circumstances of her life and death. Alongside the Bocksten Man and the Luttra Woman, the Dannike Woman has been described as one of Sweden's most famous bog bodies. Her remains and belongings are on permanent display at Borås Museum, near where she was found.

Discovery

The woman now known as the Dannike Woman was found during the summer of 1942 in Rydetsmossen, a raised bog in Dannike, Borås Municipality, Västra Götaland County. Two peat cutters working in the bog uncovered a simple, lidless birch coffin around 45 centimetres below the surface. Inside were the woman's remains, along with remnants of her clothing and other personal belongings.

Despite the missing parts, enough of her remains survived to show how she had been buried. She lay on her left side with her knees slightly drawn towards her body. Her hands had been bound, and her feet may also have been bound. A pair of shoes was also recovered. They were made from leather and birch bark, and the sole of the right shoe contained an insert.

Other small objects included two beads, two pieces of quartz, a corroded knife, three buttons and two pieces of flint. A brass tobacco box and a clay tobacco pipe were also found with her.

Osteological studies have identified the Dannike Woman as being around 20 years old at the time of her death, and measuring a height of around 160 centimetres. Her joints were noted to be healthy, with no sign of wear and tear. She had a curvature of her right tibia, which suggested she may have had athetosis, possibly caused by polio.

Eva Persson has called for the Dannike Woman to be reburied in consecrated ground.

Theories and interpretations

The identity of the Dannike Woman and the reason she was buried in Rydetsmossen are unknown. Since her discovery in 1942, researchers, museum curators and local traditions have offered explanations based on her burial place, clothing, personal belongings and remains.

Researchers have also proposed ritual killing, linking the theory to the survival of older folk beliefs alongside Christianity in western Sweden during the late 17th century. No surviving physical evidence establishes ritual killing or another specific cause of death.