Giant skeletons (United States)

Giant skeletons were reportedly found in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the United States. Many were reported to have been found in Native American burial mounds. The large skeletons from 8 ft (2.4 m) to 12 ft (3.7 m) tall were reported in many parts of the United states. Several of the reports stated that the bones of the giant skeleton crumbled when exposed to the air.

The claims of "giant skeletons" were debunked in 1934 by Aleš Hrdlička, curator of anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Institution played a significant role in putting the idea that an "ancient white race" were the Mound Builders into the realm of myths. The role of the Smithsonian Institution in debunking such claims lead to a conspiracy theory that Smithsonian archeologists were destroying giant′s bones in order to cover up the existence of giants.[1]

He blamed the reports of giant skeletons on the "will to believe" coupled with "amateur anthropologists" who were unfamiliar with human anatomy. In 2014 an internet story began circulating which claimed that the Smithsonian Institution had custody of giant skeletons but they destroyed "thousands of giant skeletons" in the early 1900s. The internet story about the Smithsonian was debunked by Reuters and the Associated Press.

Debunking claims

In 1934, Aleš Hrdlička, curator of anthropology at the Smithsonian Institution rejected the existence of a race of giants between seven and 8 ft (2.4 m) tall. Hrdlička blamed the "will to believe" for the many reports of giant "discoveries".[2] Hrdlička blamed amateur anthropologists for being fooled by the bones. He stated that people were most often fooled by the length of the femur bone because the people are often not familiar with human anatomy. Hrdlička also stated that reports of giant skeletons occured two or three times per month.[3]

In 2020 The Columbus Dispatch reported that archeologist, Donald Ball collected articles about giant skeletons which were purportedly found in burial mounds dating as far back as 1845. He determined that when the claims about giant skeletons were scrutinized they did not reveal giant skeletons. One story in The Indianapolis Journal reported on August 29, 1883 that a 9 ft (2.7 m) skeleton had been found. Dr. M. M. Adams investigated and concluded that the bones were "not of a giant" and the individual was not "above five feet eight inches in height". He determined that it was a "giant fraud" upon the people.[4]

Internet hoax

In 2014 an internet story reported that the Smithsonian Institution had custody of many giant skeletons and destroyed "thousands of giant skeletons" in the early 1900s. Reuters determined that the origin of the story was a satirical website called World News Daily Report. A spokesperson for the Smithsonian confirmed that the story was not true.[5] The satirical story claimed that the American Institution of Alternative Archeology accused the Smithsonian of a coverup.[6] The Associated Press also investigated and determined that the story was false.[7]

Giant skeleton hoaxes outside the USA

Snopes reports hoaxes locating skeletons in Saudi Arabia and India, but the geographical origin of the hoax is not specified.[8]

See also

References
  1. Jeb J. Card: Spooky archaeology: Myth and the science of the past. University of New Mexico Press (2018), p. 157.
  2. "No More Giants Says Hrdlicka". The Times. United Press. 30 March 1934. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  3. "Human Giants of Past not Proved Usually by Bones". The Oshkosh Northwestern. 3 March 1934. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  4. Lepper, Brad (27 December 202o). "Archaeology: Newspapers have been debunking giant hoaxes for a long time". The Columbus Dispatch. USA Today. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  5. "Fact Check-Claims that the Smithsonian destroyed 'thousands of giant skeletons' are many years old and satirical". Reuters. 4 August 2022. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  6. "Fact Check: This is one you could call a 'giant' hoax". Florida Times-Union. 6 January 2015. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  7. Swenson, Ali (2 November 2022). "Social media users dig up 'giant' lie about the Smithsonian". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  8. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/giant-skeleton-uncovered-saudi-arabia/
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