tannins
TAN-inz
Definition
A class of naturally occurring chemical compounds found in plants, particularly moss, that can bind to proteins and skin, acting as a preservative.
Etymology
The word is derived from the medieval Latin 'tannare', meaning to convert into leather, which traces back to the Gaulish word 'tan', meaning oak or spruce bark used for tanning.
In the news
The article explains that tannins from the sphagnum moss in the bog effectively tanned Lindow Man's skin, much like the process used to treat animal hides.
In 1984, peat cutters in Cheshire hit something rubbery with a mechanical shovel and pulled up a man who had been strangled, struck on the head and dumped in a bog around 60 CE, his skin, stubble, fingernails and stomach contents so well preserved by ac
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com