When Giants Roamed the Earth

nivek

As Above So Below

The Ghanaian giant reported to be the world’s tallest man


Sulemana Abdul Samed



A local hospital in northern Ghana told 29-year-old Sulemana Abdul Samed during one of his recent check-ups that he had reached the height of 9 ft 6in (2.89m). This would make him the tallest man in the world, but there was a catch - the rural clinic could not be sure of his height because it did not have the correct measuring tools.

Diagnosed with gigantism a few years ago, the young man was attending a monthly appointment to deal with the complications of living as a giant when he was asked to stand straight against a measuring rod. A shocked nurse told him: "You've grown taller than the scale." Better known to everyone by his nickname Awuche, which means "Let's Go" in Hausa, he was bemused by the spectacle he was causing.

He was not surprised to hear he was taller, given he has never stopped growing - but it caused consternation for the staff, who were not prepared for such a scenario. The duty nurse called out to her colleague, who in turn called out to another for help. Before long a group of nurses and health assistants gathered to solve the puzzle of determining his height. One suggested they find a pole and use it as an extension above their stick to measure his height - and this is how they arrived at their estimate.

'Still growing'

When I first came across Awuche a few months ago when travelling in northern Ghana, where his fame had spread across the area's grasslands, I did not have a measuring tape on me to verify his height. So in order to settle the matter - and armed with a 16ft measuring tape - I returned to the village of Gambaga last week.

Measuring Sulemana Abdul Samed


The plan was to have him lean against a wall, mark it by the crown of his head and then determine his height using the measuring tape. "The way they measure me, I cannot say everything is perfect," Awuche admitted - happy with my plan to get an exact measurement. He turned out to be taller than most of the houses in his neighbourhood, but after a good search we found a suitable building with a high-enough wall.

He took off his shoes - large slip-ons specially made from car tyres and nailed together for him by a local handyman as he has been unable to find shoes to fit him. One of his neighbours clambered up on a wooden stool to reach Awuche's height so he could mark the wall with a piece of charcoal. After verifying the line, we stretched out the measuring tape firmly from the marked line to the ground as Awuche looked on in anticipation.


Awuche next to his older brother


"Awuche, the measuring tape reads 7ft 4in," I said. Wearing his inimitable smile, he replied: "Wow, so what does it mean?"

"Well, the tallest man alive is 8ft 2.8in tall, he is barely one foot taller than you." I was referring to 40-year-old Sultan Kösen, who lives in Turkey and holds the current Guinness World Record. "I'm still growing tall. Who knows, maybe one day I may get to that height too," Awuche remarked - not at all upset by the discrepancy with the figure given to him by the hospital. "Every three months of four months I grow… If you've not seen me for three months or four and you see me, you'd realised I have increased," he explains.


(More on the link)

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wwkirk

Divine

The Ghanaian giant reported to be the world’s tallest man


Sulemana Abdul Samed



A local hospital in northern Ghana told 29-year-old Sulemana Abdul Samed during one of his recent check-ups that he had reached the height of 9 ft 6in (2.89m). This would make him the tallest man in the world, but there was a catch - the rural clinic could not be sure of his height because it did not have the correct measuring tools.

Diagnosed with gigantism a few years ago, the young man was attending a monthly appointment to deal with the complications of living as a giant when he was asked to stand straight against a measuring rod. A shocked nurse told him: "You've grown taller than the scale." Better known to everyone by his nickname Awuche, which means "Let's Go" in Hausa, he was bemused by the spectacle he was causing.

He was not surprised to hear he was taller, given he has never stopped growing - but it caused consternation for the staff, who were not prepared for such a scenario. The duty nurse called out to her colleague, who in turn called out to another for help. Before long a group of nurses and health assistants gathered to solve the puzzle of determining his height. One suggested they find a pole and use it as an extension above their stick to measure his height - and this is how they arrived at their estimate.

'Still growing'

When I first came across Awuche a few months ago when travelling in northern Ghana, where his fame had spread across the area's grasslands, I did not have a measuring tape on me to verify his height. So in order to settle the matter - and armed with a 16ft measuring tape - I returned to the village of Gambaga last week.

Measuring Sulemana Abdul Samed


The plan was to have him lean against a wall, mark it by the crown of his head and then determine his height using the measuring tape. "The way they measure me, I cannot say everything is perfect," Awuche admitted - happy with my plan to get an exact measurement. He turned out to be taller than most of the houses in his neighbourhood, but after a good search we found a suitable building with a high-enough wall.

He took off his shoes - large slip-ons specially made from car tyres and nailed together for him by a local handyman as he has been unable to find shoes to fit him. One of his neighbours clambered up on a wooden stool to reach Awuche's height so he could mark the wall with a piece of charcoal. After verifying the line, we stretched out the measuring tape firmly from the marked line to the ground as Awuche looked on in anticipation.


Awuche next to his older brother


"Awuche, the measuring tape reads 7ft 4in," I said. Wearing his inimitable smile, he replied: "Wow, so what does it mean?"

"Well, the tallest man alive is 8ft 2.8in tall, he is barely one foot taller than you." I was referring to 40-year-old Sultan Kösen, who lives in Turkey and holds the current Guinness World Record. "I'm still growing tall. Who knows, maybe one day I may get to that height too," Awuche remarked - not at all upset by the discrepancy with the figure given to him by the hospital. "Every three months of four months I grow… If you've not seen me for three months or four and you see me, you'd realised I have increased," he explains.


(More on the link)

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I hope he can remain healthy and live a long life.
 

nivek

As Above So Below

Seven-foot-seven Irish giant whose dying wish in 1783 was not to end up in a museum FINALLY gets his wish: Bosses of London's Hunterian rule displaying his skeleton is 'insensitive' (but refuse to let him be buried at sea off Margate as he desired)

The skeleton of 'Irish Giant' Charles Byrne will no longer feature at London's Hunterian Museum - but it still won't be laid to rest as per Byrne's wishes. Byrne, an Irishman who measured 7 feet 7 inches tall due to a gene mutation, became a celebrity in the late 18th century due to his immense size. Byrne died in 1783 at the age of 22 and for more than 200 years his skeleton was displayed at the Hunterian Museum in central London. According to a statement from the Royal College of Surgeons, which runs the museum, Byrne's skeleton will not be displayed in the redeveloped museum due to 'sensitivities', but it will still be available for 'bona fide medical research'. However, it means Byrne's dying wish of being buried at sea will still not be fulfilled, despite repeated calls to do so. The skeleton is pictured in the museum before its closure, including during a visit by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1962. Inset is a drawing of the Irish Giant, who had an undiagnosed adenoma, a benign tumour, in his pituitary gland, which caused acromegaly (overgrowth of the bones) and gigantism.

Skeleton of the 'Irish Giant' is removed from London museum

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nivek

As Above So Below

Giant stone artifacts found on rare Ice Age site in Kent

Researchers at the UCL Institute of Archaeology have discovered some of the largest early prehistoric stone tools in Britain.

The excavations, which took place in Kent and were commissioned in advance of development of the Maritime Academy School in Frindsbury, revealed prehistoric artifacts in deep Ice Age sediments preserved on a hillside above the Medway Valley.

The researchers, from UCL Archaeology South-East, discovered 800 stone artifacts thought to be over 300,000 years old, buried in sediments which filled a sinkhole and ancient river channel, outlined in their research, published in Internet Archaeology.

Amongst the unearthed artifacts were two extremely large flint knives described as “giant handaxes”. Handaxes are stone artefacts which have been chipped, or “knapped,” on both sides to produce a symmetrical shape with a long cutting edge. Researchers believe this type of tool was usually held in the hand and may have been used for butchering animals and cutting meat. The two largest handaxes found at the Maritime site have a distinctive shape with a long and finely worked pointed tip, and a much thicker base.

Senior Archaeologist Letty Ingrey (UCL Institute of Archaeology), said: “We describe these tools as ‘giants’ when they are over 22cm long and we have two in this size range. The biggest, a colossal 29.5cm in length, is one of the longest ever found in Britain. ‘Giant handaxes’ like this are usually found in the Thames and Medway regions and date from over 300,000 years ago.

“These handaxes are so big it’s difficult to imagine how they could have been easily held and used. Perhaps they fulfilled a less practical or more symbolic function than other tools, a clear demonstration of strength and skill. While right now, we aren’t sure why such large tools were being made, or which species of early human were making them, this site offers a chance to answer these exciting questions.”

The site is thought to date to a period in the early prehistory of Britain when Neanderthal people and their cultures were beginning to emerge and may even have shared the landscape with other early human species. The Medway Valley at this time would have been a wild landscape of wooded hills and river valleys, inhabited by red deer and horses, as well as less familiar mammals such as the now-extinct straight-tusked elephant and lion.

While archaeological finds of this age, including another spectacular ‘giant’ handaxe, have been found in the Medway Valley before, this is the first time they have been found as part of large-scale excavation, offering the opportunity to glean more insights into the lives of their makers.

Dr Matt Pope (UCL Institute of Archaeology), said: “The excavations at the Maritime Academy have given us an incredibly valuable opportunity to study how an entire Ice Age landscape developed over a quarter of a million years ago. A program of scientific analysis, involving specialists from UCL and other UK institutions, will now help us to understand why the site was important to ancient people and how the stone artifacts, including the ‘giant handaxes’ helped them adapt to the challenges of Ice Age environments.”

The research team is now working on identifying and studying the recovered artifacts to better understand who created them and what they were used for.

Senior Archaeologist Giles Dawkes (UCL Institute of Archaeology) is leading work on a second significant find from the site – a Roman cemetery, dating to at least a quarter of a million years later than the Ice Age activity. The people buried here between the first and fourth centuries AD could have been the inhabitants of a suspected nearby villa that may have lain around 850 meters to the south.

The team found the remains of 25 individuals, 13 of which were cremated. Nine of the buried individuals were found with goods or personal items including bracelets, and four were interred in wooden coffins. Collections of pottery and animal bones found nearby likely relate to feasting rituals at the time of burial. Though Roman buildings and structures have been extensively excavated, cemeteries have historically been less of a focus for archaeologists and the discovery of this site offers potentially new insights into the burial customs and traditions of both the Romans who lived at the villa, and those in the nearby town of Rochester.

Jody Murphy, Director of Education at the Thinking Schools Academy Trust said: “We, at Maritime Academy and the Thinking Schools Academy Trust, feel very lucky to be a part of this phenomenal discovery. We take great pride in our connection to our local community and region, with much of our school identity linked to the history of Medway. We look forward to taking advantage of this unique opportunity to teach our young people about these finds, creating a lasting legacy for those who came before us.”


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handaxe1-300x200.jpeg

The largest giant handaxe. Archaeology South-East/ UCL
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handaxe2-300x234.jpeg


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nivek

As Above So Below

Old newspaper clippings about Giant bones and skeletons being found in the United States, Mexico, and elsewhere late 1800’s and early 1900’s

In the list below, several articles specifically mention the Smithsonian Institution which has been accused of destroying/covering up evidence of giant human/humanoid remains.

Letter from Ezra Stiles to Thomas Jefferson discussing giant humanoid bones and teeth. June 1784

Shrouded In Mystery: Giant skeletons found in mounds in Iowa 1897, Smithsonian mentioned, parallel drawn between mounds and pyramids.

Giant skeleton found in cave in Idaho, 1910; bones sent to the Smithsonian

Around 200 giant skeletons found in a mine in Mexico, 1908

Skeleton of Giant Indian Discovered, Nashville TN 1923, Smithsonian will investigate further

Giant skeleton 18ft tall discovered in Seymour, TX 1919; bones probably donated to Smithsonian

Skeleton of giant woman (7ft 5in) discovered in Lebanon, OR 1908; “Watkins will try to interest the State archaeological society in his find.

“The Bones of a Giant Found: St. Paul, Minn., May 24 – A skull of heroic size and singular formation has been discovered amon the relics of the mound-builders in the Red River Valley. the mound was 60 feet ind iameter and 12 feet high. Near the centre were found the bones of about a dozen men and women, mixed with the bones of various animals. The skull in question was the only perfect one, and near it were found some abnormally large body bones. The man who bore it was evidently a giant. A thorough investigation of the mound and its contents will be made by the Historical Society.” New York Times, May 25, 1882

“Giants’ Bones in Mound. Scientists Unearth Relics of Indians Who Lived 700 Years Ago. Special to The New York Times. Binghamton, July 13 – Professor A. B. Skinner of the American Indian Museum, Professor W. K. Morehead of Phillips Andover Academy, and Dr. George Donohue, Pennsylvania State Historian, who have been conducting researches along the valley of the Susquehanna, have uncovered an Indian mound at Tioga Point, on the upper portion of Queen Esther’s Flats, on what is known as the Murray farm, a short distance from Sayre, Penn which promises rich additions to Indian lore. In the mound uncovered were found the bones of sixty-eight men which are believed to have been buried 700 years ago. The average height of these men was seven feet, while many were much taller. Further evidence of their gigantic size was found in large celts or axes hewed from stone and buried in the grave. On some of the skulls, two inches above the perfectly formed forehead, were protuberances of bone. Members of the expedition say that is the first discovery of its kind on record and a valuable contribution to the history of the early races. The skull and a few bones found in one grave were sent to the American Indian Museum.” New York Times, July 14th, 1916

“WISCONSIN MOUND OPENED. Skeleton Found of a Man Over Nine Feet High with an Enormous Skull. MAPLE CREEK, Wis., Dec 19 – One of the three recently discovered mounds in this town has been opened. In it was found the skeleton of a man of gigantic size. The bones measured from head to foot over nine feet and were in a fair state of preservation. The skull was as large as a half bushel measure. Some finely tempered rods of copper and other relics were lying near the bones. The mound from which these relics were taken is ten feet high and thirty feet long, and varies from six to eight feet in width. The two mounds of lesser size will be excavated soon.” New York Times, Dec 20th, 1897

Only giant I’ve ever heard of that had fewer teeth than humans and was speculated to be an herbivore. I’ve seen many reports of giants with double rows of teeth! “FIND SKELETON OF GIANT. Idaho Road Men Dig Up Bones of Prehistoric Herbivorous Woman. LEWISTON, Idaho. March 16 (Associated Press). – A huge skeleton, believed to be that of a prehistoric human being, has been discovered in the Salmon River country, south of here, by two members of the State Highway Department who have brought their find to this city. The lower jaw and vertebrae will be sent to the Smithsonian Institution at Washington, D.C. for analysis as to the probable date of existence. The bones were found in the side of a cliff at a depth estimated to be fifty feet. Nearly the entire skeleton was recovered. Measuring more than eight feet in height and possessing numerous strange features, the skeleton has aroused widespread interest. Three physicians pronounced it to be that of a woman. Belief that the preson was of a herbivorous race has been expressed, owing to the peculiar formation of the jaws and teeth. Both the upper and lower jaws have only ten teeth each and all intact.” New York Times March 1924

“Found Skeletons of Giants – Skulls Twice as Large as Those of Ordinary Adults – Two skeletons, each measuring more than seven feet in length, were discovered recently in a gravel pit in a forest near Fon-du-Lac, Wis. The skulls are twice as large as those of an ordinary adult and the thigh bones are almost six inches longer than those of a six-foot man. The bones are in a good state of preservation. It is probable the skeletons, which are thought to be remaines of some pre-historic race, will be sent to Milwaukee for examination.” The Columbian, Sept 7th, 1905

BONES OF PREHISTORIC MAN. Skeleton of a Giant Found in a Rude Sepulcher on Pine Ridge. UKIAH, Cal., Aug 21 – the discovery of the bones of a giant in a rudely excavated hole in a limestone rock on the western side of Pine Ridge has aroused considerable interest among local anthropologists. U. N. Brigg and Frank Patton unearthed the remains of what appeared to be a prehistoric man last week while out hunting on Pine Ridge. It being quite warm the hunters had sought a shady piece at the base of a tall limestone cliff. They sat for an hour or so enjoing the soft breezes wafted from the valley beyond, and Briggs in poking around in a hole in the rock unearthed several bones. They appeared to be those of a human being. Upon closer scrutiny it was discovered that the cavity in which the bones had been deposited was evidently the work of human hands. The walls had been cut with a sharp-pointed instrument and the entrance to the tomb or sepulcher had at one time been closed up. The hunters examined the tomb closely and found a number of bones of the feet and hands a portion of the skull. The remains will be sent to the Smithsonian Institution.” The San Francisco call, August 22, 1897

“GIANTS’ SKELETONS FOUND. Remains of Prehistoric Race Discovered Near Baltimore. Baltimore, Md, June 29 – A number of gigantic skeletons of pre-historic Indians, nearly eight feet tall are reported to have been discovered along the banks of the Choptank river, in this state by employes of the Maryland academy of sciences and are now at the academy’s buildings, where they are being articulated and restored. The collection comprises eight skeletons of which some are those of women and children.” Wood County reporter, July 7th, 1905

SCIENTISTS FIND FIVE MORE GIANT SKELETONS IN MEXICO, Imperial Valley press, Dec 13, 1930

RAINS UNCOVER GIANT RACE, The daily star-mirror (Moscow, Idaho) Jan 26th 1922

PUEBLO GRANDE HOUSED GIANT LOST RACE, The Washington Times, March 5th 1925

THEY WERE GIANTS, Some Remarkable Skeletons Found in Michigan, The Morning Call, Feb 7th, 1895

Report from 1789 Sydney Australia of a Giant that was captured. Article hangs in the state library and disqualified as “fake news” by the museum.

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nivek

As Above So Below

The mystery of giant human bones found in France

In 1889, the London newspaper Pall Mall Gazette published a sensational article about the discovery of giant human bones in neighboring France.

A curious discovery has just been made at Vimoutiers, in the Department of the Orne, by a peasant living in the village of Cutesson. He was digging in his field when the ground suddenly gave way, and he fell into a hole 10 feet in depth. The peasant had accidentally lighted upon a subterranean chamber, the existence of which was not previously suspected. On examination, a number of human bones, partially petrified, were found in an adjoining vault, constructed in the form of a circle.
The bones are of exceptionally large dimensions and appear to have belonged to a race of gigantic stature and great breadth of frame. In fact, the persons who have studied the case on the spot are of the opinion that the bodies must have been interred in this burial place at a very remote period.Further researches have been temporarily interrupted by the subsidence of other plots of ground. It seems by no means improbable that some highly interesting discoveries will result from this accident.

According to Paul Brown from Singular Discoveries, at the end of the newspaper article, it was stated that excavations at the site were eventually temporarily stopped due to subsidence. The story immediately became widespread and was published in other British newspapers. This was written about in France itself; of course, the French press was simply not as read in the world as the British press.

In particular, in French newspapers these finds were called “ossements humains d’une taille étonnante” (“human bones of amazingly large size”) and they also indicated some details that were not written in British newspapers. For example, the underground chamber where the skeletons were located was so large that two peasant horses fell into this hole.

An 18-meter (60-foot) tunnel was also described, which led from an underground chamber to another, even larger, underground room.

One of the articles about this discovery, written in the French newspaper La Petit Presse, ended with the following message: “We are pleased to provide archaeologists and antiquarians with a new opportunity to show their insight and expand their specialized knowledge. The floor is open to scientists!”

But then there was a deafening silence. Not a single newspaper, neither French, nor British, nor any other, wrote a single line about this sensational discovery. Researchers rummaged through all possible newspaper archives of those times and later, but nowhere else was there any mention of giant human bones from Vimoutier.

But articles were published about similar finds of giant human bones, but in other places in France.

According to the London Globe, in June 1890, a Monsieur Lapouge discovered fragments of human bones of “the most abnormal size” in a prehistoric cemetery at Castelnau, near Montpellier, in the south of France.

Lapouge calculated that the bones belonged to a man 3.3 meters tall (11 feet) – that is, a real giant. It was also indicated that since ancient times the entire Castelnau valley was called by the villagers the place where the “cave of giants” is located.


Photo of giant human bones from Castelnau from Popular Science News. 1890

Lapouge published an article and photos of his findings in the French periodical La Nature. From there, the story of the “Giants of Castelnau” found its way into many newspapers and magazines around the world, including the New York Times and Popular Science News.

And, traditionally, this was also the last mention in the press about these strange finds. Then no one wrote or mentioned them anymore.

In 1894, newspapers reported that workers excavating at a reservoir in Montpellier had found “a set of human skulls of gigantic proportions” that measured 28, 31 and 32 inches in girth. The circumference of the average adult male’s skull is 22.5 inches.

“These relics were sent to the Paris Academy, and one scientist said that they belonged to a race of people from 3 to 4.5 meters in height,” the newspapers wrote.

This place seemed to be close to where Monsieur Lapouge was digging. In any case, this is the same area of Montpellier. Maybe both bones are connected with the very cave of the giants, about which the inhabitants of the Castelnau Valley formed legends?

As the reader can easily guess, there is currently no information about these skulls either. Did they end up in the Paris Academy and were unknowingly hidden somewhere in the storerooms? Or are they deliberately hidden forever from the eyes of all outsiders?


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