RECENT revelations about Racton Man got me thinking. Reader's voice: "Aw jeez, here comes trouble."

 

Fear not, for I am not going to attempt anything profound, as we all know the mire into which that has often led us on previous occasions. No, I just wanted to muse about time, evolution, the human race, stuff like that.

Reader's despair-laced voice: "You mentioned Racton Man earlier. I take it this is a male person from the vicinity of, er, Racton." Well deduced, sir.

Racton Man was found on farmland in the hamlet of, er, Racton, West Sussex, in 1989, but it is only now, with technological advances, that top archaeologists have been able to tell us something about him.

Radiocarbon dating of his remains by the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre in Glasgow showed that he died some time between 2150BC and 2300BC.

Analysis of his teeth by Durham University showed that he was probably brought up in southern Britain. And, at the Novium Museum in Chichester, where Raccie's skeleton has gone on display, specialists revealed more intriguing facts about the unfortunate fellow.

First, and more fortunately, he was 6ft tall which, back in the day, would have made him a giant. Secondly, although he was only about 45-years-old, already he suffered from spinal degeneration, a chronic sinus infection, an abscess and tooth decay.

Wow, doesn't say much for the NHS back then. Still, 45 was a decent innings at the time, and it was only cut short when some blaggard took a swipe at his arm with a sword. The Big Man bled to death.

He was a warrior, almost certainly a mighty chief, so the manner of his death is hardly surprising. He was found clutching a bronze dagger, one of the very early models, decorated with tiny studs that would have glistened in the light. Cool.

Still, those who live by the dagger die by the sword. It makes me think how times have changed. I know that's glib and that we're still at each other's throats.

It's more the illnesses that got me cogitating. And you don't have to go back 4,000 years. Only 150 years ago, I'd probably have been deid by noo, blootered by some rubbish disease that we just laugh at now.

Medical advances and a better diet have improved our lives so much in so short a time that we really should think ourselves lucky, relatively speaking at least.