W is for Wisconsin Giants

In January 1870, a group of unusual skeletons was discovered in Wisconsin. They were not the first to be discovered. Indeed, there were burial mounds all over the mid-west, especially along the Mississippi River, that yielded these giant skeletons, believed to be a Native American tribe of the mound builders time period that was unknown. Their heads sloped directly back from above the eyes, they had high cheekbones, and they were said to have a double row of teeth. Some report that they possessed six fingers on each hand, six toes on each foot.

                                              By James Steakley (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons                                                                           

In August 1891, more skeletons were found, along with a defense system that came to be known as Fort Aztalan to researchers.

In May 1912, eighteen of these skeletons were discovered by Beloit University. They were said to be seven to nine feet tall, and to have elongated jaw bones, resembling apes.

Skeletons ranged in size from seven feet to nine feet tall. They were buried with arrowheads, copper rods, and other hand-worked items.

It is said that giant remains have been found around the world, and that a race of giants is reported in the bible. Some of the giants in other countries are much taller than the North American ones.

Sadly, these skeletal remains, some of which have been photographed, have disappeared. One skeleton is on display, called the Aztalan Princess, but she is of normal height. Could she be just a teenager? Did these skeletons ever exist? Or were they simply a hoax? Is it possible there were taller races at some point, despite the fact that we're supposed to be getting taller, not shorter? Could it have been that a genetic defect existed, like the current gigantism, and was more common amongst certain groups? People suffering from gigantism these days tend to be between seven and nine feet tall. Coincidence?

May you find your Muse.

P.S. If you're interested in this topic, I found a blog dedicated to reporting the discovery of giant human skeletons.