At first, the researchers did not realise they were dealing with mummies, since the soft tissue had decomposed and the skeletons had been buried.

The preserved bodies were then apparently retrieved from the bog and set up inside a dwelling, presumably having religious significance.

The high level of the calcareous sand in Cladh Hallan and the Scottish Highlands had been attributed in part to the preservation of the mummies over thousands of years.

Following the provisions of the Treasure Trove Act, all the finds from Cladh Hallan, including the skeletons, will be allocated to a Scottish museum after the lengthy process of analysis and reporting is completed.

According to recent anthropological and DNA-analysis, the skeletons of a female and a male were compiled from body parts of at least 6 different human individuals.