When the grave of 17th-century Swedish bishop Peder Winstrup was opened a few years ago, scientists were surprised by two things. First, the body of Winstrup, who had died in 1679 at the age of 74, was incredibly well-preserved. His beard, internal organs, and clothes were all intact because of the dry and cold conditions in which he was buried.
The second mystery was the small mummified baby found near him. Some people thought it might have been Winstrup’s illegitimate son, buried with him to avoid a scandal. This theory would have likely spread quickly in earlier times. But today, we have DNA testing to find out the truth.
The results were much sadder and less exciting. The baby was actually Winstrup’s grandson. The two had died around the same time, and the family decided to bury the little boy with his grandfather so he could be watched over in the afterlife.
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