Results: Ancient, still-edible chunk of butter unearthed in Irish bog
Published on 06/18/2016
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1.
1.
The large lump of butter was discovered by farmer Jack Conway while cutting turf for fuel in Emlagh Bog, County Meath on June 1st. The strange rugby-ball shaped object was buried about 16 feet down in the bog. Are you familiar with this story?
Yes
16%
254 votes
No
74%
1136 votes
Undecided
3%
40 votes
Not Applicable
7%
113 votes
2.
2.
The 2,000-year-old 20-pound chunk of butter has been unearthed from a peat bog in Ireland. The Emlagh Bog find is unusual because it wasn't buried in a wooden container or keg. Surprisingly, the bog butter is still edible, but it has been advised against eating it. Would you eat the ancient butter? Yes
6%
89 votes
No
78%
1207 votes
Undecided
7%
108 votes
Not Applicable
9%
139 votes
3.
3.
What bog butter facts are you familiar with? Bog butter refers to an ancient waxy substance found buried in peat bogs particularly in Great Britain and in Ireland.
6%
95 votes
Bog butter is found buried inside some sort of wooden container, such as buckets, kegs, barrels, dishes and butter churns.
6%
92 votes
It is of animal origin, and is also known as butyrellite.
3%
54 votes
With low temperature, low oxygen and a highly acidic environment, bogs have excellent preservative properties.
9%
145 votes
The Emlagh bog butter that was recently found in Ireland may have been an offering to the gods.
4%
63 votes
Even after millennia underground the Emlagh bog chunk still actually smells like butter.
4%
57 votes
N/A
80%
1232 votes
4.
4.
Farmer Jack Conway quickly realized that he had found bog butter and contacted the nearby Cavan County Museum. The bog butter has now been sent to the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin for further research and analysis (pictured: Cavan County Museum Curator Savina Donohoe, Farmer Jack Conway, Assistant Keeper at the National Museum of Ireland Andy Halpin). Would you have contacted the Museum about the bog butter?
Yes
46%
711 votes
No
15%
239 votes
Undecided
19%
295 votes
Not Applicable
19%
298 votes
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