This Facebook post comes from Sligo-Leitrim Archaeological Services (SLAS), an independent archeological consultancy.
The consultants described how winter storms had blown over a 215-year-old beech tree outside Collooney, Sligo. As a result, a human skeleton lying beneath it had been snapped in two. The upper part of the body was tangled up in the root system and pulled into the air, but the lower leg bones were left in the grave.
According to SLAS's post:
– The skeleton belonged to a young man (aged between 17-20).
– Preliminary analysis suggests he suffered a violent death between 1030 and 1200 AD.
– There were injuries to his ribs and his hand, which had probably been inflicted by a knife.
– He'd been given a formal Christian burial: This is demonstrated by the fact he was buried in an east-west position with his hands folded over his pelvis.
According to the Irish Times, historical records show that there was once a church and graveyard in the area, but there is no trace of the building above ground, nor were any other skeletons found during SLAS's excavations.
According to Dr Marion Dowd from SLAS, he may have been fleeing an attacker. She told MailOnline: "We don't know whether he died in a battle or whether this was a case of a personal dispute that ended in death." SLAS also thinks he may have worked as some sort of labourer, as indicated by mild spinal joint disease. The remains are still being analysed by the consultancy.