Who killed 'Rosemarkie Man'? Sky History channel brings in the experts to find out...
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THE mystery surrounding the brutal murder of a man on the Black Isle is being brought to the small screen next week.
When the remains of a man were found in coastal caves at Rosemarkie by volunteers carrying out an archaeological excavation, it triggered a period of intense speculation over his fate.
The remains of ‘Rosemarkie Man’, as he became known, were the subject of intense forensic examination which revealed details of horrific injuries and a grim death.
The remains, found in 2016, date back an estimated 1400 years, to the Pictish period of Scotland.
SEE ALSO: Mystery over remains of man brutally murdered on Black Isle
Examination by Professor Dame Sue Black, at that time director of the Centre for Anatomy and Human Identification at the University of Dundee, revealed he had suffered a brutal death while a facial reconstruction showed him to be a striking young man.
She identified four or five clear points of impact in an attack on the man found buried in an unusual position.
The mystery is being thrust back into the spotlight on the Sky History channel as part of its Ancient Mysteries season.
Louisiana homicide detective Rod Demery and world-renowned forensic scientist Turi King examine the skeleton, speak to ‘witnesses’ and probe several theories as to how he met his death.
The victim had multiple head injuries and was buried with a huge boulder between his legs.
Turi examines the bones and meets world-leading forensic anthropologist Dame Sue Black to discover how the victim’s violent head injuries were inflicted.
She also sees a life-like recreation of his face and finds how modern isotope analysis can reveal where, and how, Rosemarkie Man lived. Rod’s witnesses are archeologists, describing a world of precarious cliff-top communities, elaborate jewelry and fiefdoms, at a time when Christianity was spreading in the region.
With suspects including a sea raider, pagan and rival leader, the team recreate the attack with a Pictish weapons expert to deduce who the likely murderer was.
The Rosemarkie Caves Project had for some years been locating and accurately surveying the series of caves extending for several miles along the coast of the Black Isle.
A number of small test-pit excavations over the past few years have provided evidence that the caves were being occupied, or at least used in some way, from 1500 to 2000 years ago until the recent past.
At the time of the discovery, Simon Gunn who was leading the project, said: “When I first started looking into these caves, I never dreamed we would find anything like this – it was so unexpected.
“I remember all the excitement when the remains of Richard III were found under a car park – well, Rosemarkie Man died 900 years before that, so you cannot imagine our reaction when we first uncovered these human remains and then learned about his brutal death.”
The episode on ‘Rosemarkie Man’ and the Pictish period cave burial on the Black Isle, is due to air on Monday, June 19 at 9pm.
It will be possible to watch the documentary on catch-up on Sky and Virgin.
