Gunnister Man facts for kids
The Gunnister Man is the name given to the remains of a man found in a peat bog in Gunnister, Shetland, Scotland. Two local men found him on May 12, 1951. They were digging peat for fuel when they discovered the bog body about 75 centimeters (30 inches) deep. A special stone now marks the spot where he was found.
A Mystery from the Past
Experts believe the Gunnister Man lived in the late 1600s or early 1700s. Three old coins were found in his knitted purse. One coin was from the Netherlands, dated 1690. Another was also from the Netherlands, from 1681. The third coin was from Sweden, dated 1683. These coins show that people in Shetland traded with other parts of northern Europe. The knitted purse is also very special. It is thought to be the oldest example of two-colour knitting ever found in Shetland.
The man was wearing many woollen clothes. These clothes were in excellent condition because of the peat bog. He had on a woollen shirt, a long coat, and short, wide breeches. He also wore an outer jacket, two caps, gloves, and knitted stockings. His clothes suggest he was walking in winter. He might have died from an illness or from being too cold. It was a very cold and stormy time in northern Europe. We don't know if he was from Shetland or just visiting. His body was carefully buried with his belongings.
Other items found with him included a leather belt and a silk ribbon. There were also three woollen cords and a small piece of knitted fabric. A birch stick, a wooden tub, and a knife handle were also found. He had a horn spoon, a quill, and a horn container with a wooden stopper. Only small parts of the man's body remained. These included a piece of his skull with dark hair, his finger and toe nails, and some bone fragments.
What He Carried
All the items found with the Gunnister Man are now in the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh. Some of these objects are always on display there. Right after the discovery, people in Shetland made copies of his stockings and purse. These copies can be seen at the Tangwick Haa Museum in Northmavine, Shetland. In 2009, the Shetland Museum and Archives made full copies of all his belongings. These are now shown together in a special display in Lerwick, Shetland.
The Knitted Purse
The purse was originally a mix of grey colours. It had stripes of red and white patterns. It's hard to know if the man's clothes were made in Shetland or somewhere else. However, the purse shows that "stranded knitting" was known in Shetland by the early 1700s. This type of knitting is now famous as fair isle knitting.
His Gloves
The gloves were well-made. They had decorative stitches on the upper palms and cuffs. They look similar to other gloves from that time. The palm of the right glove was more worn and patched. This suggests that the Gunnister Man was right-handed.
Small Knitting Pieces
A small piece of open-work knitting was found with the man's items. It had a pattern of three circles inside each other. There was no finished edge on this piece. Other small pieces of knitting were sewn into the lining of his jacket. This small fragment might have been kept to use as a patch for his clothes.
