Was there ever a race of giant people?

[wolram]

Was there ever a race of giant people ? i have come across sites that claim
they existed but all the evidence seems to have disapeared.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Was there ever a race of giant people ? i have come across sites that claim they existed but all the evidence seems to have disapeared.

A race of giants did and does exist. They are usually referred to now as the NBA.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

One likely source for the giants myths: Genesis 6:4

(4) The nephilim were in the Earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them: the same were the mighty men that were of old, the men of renown.

THE “NEPHILIM” OF VERSE FOUR
The diversity of interpretations of the nature of the nephilim in verse four makes it evident that the preceding three verses exert only minor constraining power on the definition of these antediluvian men. Probably because the Septuagint translates the word nephilim as giant, and the King James Version carried this definition through, the majority of scholars are inclined to the view that these were men of gigantic stature. This also appears consistent with the only other occurrence of the word in Numbers 13:33, where the returning spies describe themselves as being “grasshoppers” by comparison with the nephilim.

The word itself generally is considered to be derived from the verb naphal meaning “to fall.”43 From this, liberal critics interpret nephilim to mean “those fallen from heaven,” in reference to their progenitors’ angelic origins. Thus, in this line of thinking, the nephilim must be a fantastic race of some description because they are the offspring of the mythological marriages described in verse two.44 Or, extrapolating in the reverse direction, it is argued that the “sons of God” must be angels because the word nephilim means fallen from heaven. In either case, as Archer aptly argues, no one proposes that Goliath or the sons of Anak had angelic forbears, so why suggest it here?45 Note also that the “from heaven” part has to be provided artificially. In fact, Brown, Driver, and Briggs provide several definitions, including to fall by accident—by violent death; in prostration—upon (attack), and others.46

Although there is nothing wrong in proposing that a tribe of tall peoples lived in those days, the full explanation may lie beyond a mere physical interpretation. The whole problem with verse four is relating the allusion to these men who were mighty or strong and “men of renown [name]” to the context of thedegradation of humanity. An answer may lie in the reference to nephilim in Numbers 33. Note that when the spies returned from Canaan, they reported that the people were strong and the cities fortified, and the descendants of Anak lived there (vs. 28). But when Caleb challenged the people to possesses the land, the spies resorted to hyperbole, saying the inhabitants were stronger and bigger than they, “the land eateth its inhabitants,” and the nephilim, sons of Anak were there, with the Israelites being as grasshoppers in their sight (vss. 30-33). So, while these nephilim could have been tall and strong (with some exaggeration by the spies being considered), their obvious military prowess may have struck fear into the Israelites. This encounter could have been an early reference to the Philistines who occupied that region, who often were portrayed as fearsome fighters, and later included the champions Goliath and Saph. Thus, nephilim may not have been a reference to a racial group as such, but rather to those of a fearsome character.[continued]

http://www.apologeticspress.com/rr/reprints/Sons-of-God-in-Genesis-6.pdf
As you might imagine, the UFO crowd has latched onto its own interpretation of “those fallen from heaven"

 

[dgoodpasture2005]

A race of giants did and does exist. They are usually referred to now as the NBA.

haha that's a good one Ivan. ;)

 

[RunDMC]

'Giants' of staggering proportions generally suffer from acromegaly, a condition that was only recognized as a disease in the 19th century. In acromegaly, a tumor of the pituitary gland (known in medical parlance as a macroadenoma) releases large amounts of growth hormone, causing abnormal growth of the skeleton and other tissues.

Acromegaly patients can also suffer from impaired eyesight, caused by pressure of the tumor on the cross-over point of the optic nerves (the optic hiasma). If Goliath did indeed have acromegaly and his vision was impaired, young David could have approached Goliath from the side without being observed.

 

[Phobos]

i have come across sites that claim they existed but all the evidence seems to have disapeared.

If "all evidence" is gone, then how can they make the claim?
If the evidence is just literature, as Ivan suggests, then it seems one would have to chalk it up to "unknown" (at best) or simply a myth, unless and until someone can find the remains of several giant people from a particular time & place (so as to represent a race and not just a birth defect as RunDMC suggests).

 

[hypatia]

Watusi,7 to 8 ft tall, are considered giant in hight by our standards. And there is a giant tribe in the Sudan{Dinka}, where Manute Bol{7'7"} comes from.


This Adena skull is from the Ohio State Archaeological Museum, The Adeana were american giants. I have seen the remains of males which were easily 8 to 9 feet tall. While the females looked to be 6 to 7 feet. And they had two fully developed rows of teeth, both upper and lower. I counted 62 fully emerged, worn teeth, with no sign of decay.

 

[scott1]

Was there ever a race of giant people ? i have come across sites that claim
they existed but all the evidence seems to have disapeared.

I assuming you didn't give the link to the website you found because that's all they said on it?Can you please give us the link or did it disapper with the eveindce:rofl:
Why whould they have these sites have evedince

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Incase anyone is interested...

One likely source for the giants myths: Genesis 6:4
http://www.apologeticspress.com/rr/reprints/Sons-of-God-in-Genesis-6.pdf
As you might imagine, the UFO crowd has latched onto its own interpretation of “those fallen from heaven"

The Nephilim story as far as I understand comes from "The Book of Enoch" which is generally not accepted as part of the biblical canon. You can read it here...
http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=941404
If you skim down to Chapter VI that is where the story regarding the angels that fancied mortal women comes in. This story is only a small portion of "The Book of Enoch" and attempts to explain where sin originated apparently at odds with the explination that takes place in the garden with Adam and Eve.
Here is what the Catholic Encyclopedia says about the book...
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01602a.htm
Oddly the Catholic Encyclopedia doesn't seem to have anything to say about Nephilim.

At any rate according to "The Book of Enoch" Nephilim were giants. I've been trying to figure out whether the piece in Genesis came from "The Book of Enoch" or the other way around and can not find anything conclusive. The earliest excerpts from BoE found are dated around about the 3rd century BC and the earliest of Genesis around the 4th century BC. It seems to be common belief that Genesis was pieced together from other sources but also commonly believed that the BoE is an interpretation and expansion of the lines from genesis.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Some related information
http://www.logoschristian.org/thrones/

More in the Myth and Mystic's napster above
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=5196

The book of Enoch is considered heretical by most western churches.

 

[zoobyshoe]

This Adena skull is from the Ohio State Archaeological Museum, The Adeana were american giants. I have seen the remains of males which were easily 8 to 9 feet tall. While the females looked to be 6 to 7 feet. And they had two fully developed rows of teeth, both upper and lower. I counted 62 fully emerged, worn teeth, with no sign of decay.

Your post and the picture astonished me. I have read a slew of stories about giant skeletons being recovered from Indian mounds with double rows of teeth, but they always seem to end with "...the remains disintegrated within hours of exposure to the air." In other words, I had no idea any of these skeletons were actually preserved anywhere.

Where did you see this skeleton?

Here's a link with the sort of story I've read:

http://www.rense.com/general2/giants.htm

I almost started a thread about these Indian mound giant stories a couple weeks ago but figured no one would have much to add to what I'd read.

At least two different Native American tribes have legends about their ancestors having launched major wars against the Giants and having succeeded in defeating them.

This thing about the double row of teeth is extremely weird. Do you have any pictures of what that looks like? It must be a bizarre mutation and can't have been a benefit to them, could it?

The fact these skeletons still exist and are kept somewhere blows me away because I should think it would be well known.

edit: I see I was so exited I missed the fact that you specifically stated the skull was at the Ohio State Archeology Museum.

 

[Math Is Hard]

What's the scoop on "giants" and polydactyly? Any truth to that?

 

[hypatia]

The first time I saw the remains, they were in a glass case at the Fort Ancient earthworks. Due to complains of Native tribes they were removed from public display, and are now in limbo.
I went with a co-worker when he was hired to link them to the Hopwell tribe{which he could not do}, so that they could correctly bury the remains. As far as I know this legel battle is still going on.
The teeth, we were able to rule out things like hyperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome{job}and several other variables linked to disorders which delay the loss of early{baby} teeth. Both rows were fully adult.
I'll look for a pic for you. One interesting side note, traces of hair were found at the site, where the remains were found, at least one was a natural redhead.

 

[hypatia]

What's the scoop on "giants" and polydactyly? Any truth to that?

If giants were truly a breed apart, then things like polydactyly would be a common trait. There is just not enough of these ancient remains to compare.

 

[TheStatutoryApe]

Your post and the picture astonished me. I have read a slew of stories about giant skeletons being recovered from Indian mounds with double rows of teeth, but they always seem to end with "...the remains disintegrated within hours of exposure to the air." In other words, I had no idea any of these skeletons were actually preserved anywhere.

I've heard stories on Coast to Coast about these. The stories I heard always ended in the bones disappearing supposedly having been stolen by "them", or whom ever supposely wanted to keep the evidence under wraps. I always thought it was most likely bunk considering that all the evidence had supposedly disappeared.

I'll look for a pic for you. One interesting side note, traces of hair were found at the site, where the remains were found, at least one was a natural redhead.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Thor Heyerdahl cite references in tribal mythologies to giant redheaded seafarers?

 

[zoobyshoe]

The first time I saw the remains, they were in a glass case at the Fort Ancient earthworks. Due to complains of Native tribes they were removed from public display, and are now in limbo.

That really sucks since, according to their own legends, the giants weren't Indians, and they, themselves, tried to exterminate the giants.

I went with a co-worker when he was hired to link them to the Hopwell tribe{which he could not do}, so that they could correctly bury the remains. As far as I know this legel battle is still going on.

Apparently Indians have a legal claim to any remains that are dated prior to some date before which everyone is pretty sure there were no Europeans here.
You have probably heard of that skeleton they found up north somewhere which is clearly not an Indian but was dated to be too early to be a European. The tribes have blocked study of that one, too.

The teeth, we were able to rule out things like hyperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome{job}and several other variables linked to disorders which delay the loss of early{baby} teeth. Both rows were fully adult.

This has clearly got to be some mutation. This race had to have started out normal at some point and then got hit with some whammy that caused both the teeth mutation and the giant size.

I'll look for a pic for you. One interesting side note, traces of hair were found at the site, where the remains were found, at least one was a natural redhead.

Two rows of teeth! That's the most bizarre thing I've ever heard.
As far as hair goes, my first thought when I read about these skeletons was that these people might have been covered in body hair and be the template for all bigfoot stories. The picture of the skull, though, shows an all too sapiens sapiens forhead. I don't see getting an "apelike" or "homonid" face out of that skull.
Still, the size is right, so maybe bigfoot is a living mutation of these mutated giants.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I've heard stories on Coast to Coast about these. The stories I heard always ended in the bones disappearing supposedly having been stolen by "them", or whom ever supposely wanted to keep the evidence under wraps. I always thought it was most likely bunk considering that all the evidence had supposedly disappeared.
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Thor Heyerdahl cite references in tribal mythologies to giant redheaded seafarers?

Here's another site with a bunch of stories, not just about American Giants but from all over, (with plenty of speculation about their origins thrown in).
LAND OF GIANTS
Address:http://www.prospector-utah.com/LAND%20OF%20GI

 

[wolram]

Watusi,7 to 8 ft tall, are considered giant in hight by our standards. And there is a giant tribe in the Sudan{Dinka}, where Manute Bol{7'7"} comes from.
This Adena skull is from the Ohio State Archaeological Museum, The Adeana were american giants. I have seen the remains of males which were easily 8 to 9 feet tall. While the females looked to be 6 to 7 feet. And they had two fully developed rows of teeth, both upper and lower. I counted 62 fully emerged, worn teeth, with no sign of decay.

How come this information is so hard to find.
Thanks Hypatia.

 

[wolram]

Here's another site with a bunch of stories, not just about American Giants but from all over, (with plenty of speculation about their origins thrown in).
LAND OF GIANTS
Address:http://www.prospector-utah.com/LAND%20OF%20GI

Zooby, i can not link to this site, i just get an add for web space.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Zooby, i can not link to this site, i just get an add for web space.

http://www.prospector-utah.com/LAND%20OF%20GIANTS.htm
Try this one. The other was missing the "htm" at the end.

Here's the whole google story for "indian mounds giants":

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=indian+mounds+giants&btnG=Google+Search

 

[wolram]

A good site to debunk, all about giants and past finds of huge human bones.
http://s8int.com/giants1.html

 

[scarecrow]

I just purchased this book by Patrick Heron called "The Nephilim and the Pyramid of the Apocalypse". So far, it's a very good read. This should explain some things about the "Nephilim".

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Sounds like complete nonsense to me. What makes the author an expert?

 

[scarecrow]

Patrick Heron was born in Dublin in 1952. He became interested in bible prophecy concerning the "end times" around 1996. Patrick has a B.Sc. and M.A. in Business Studies from Trinity College, Dublin and a Bachelor of Theology degree from The College of Biblical Research, Rome City, Indiana. Patrick is not associated with any particular church or denomination.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

... Way was controversial because of tactics it used in recruiting members of the sect. Some ex-members around the country, but not in Noble County, insisted the group targeted lonely people, showered them with love and attention and then brainwashed them to follow their teachings.

The organization also drew opposition from main-line Christian religions because of its denial of the divinity of Jesus Christ.[continued]

http://www.kpcnews.net/special-sections/reflections2/reflections36.html

The so called college was part of a one site cult church.

 

[J77]

Recently, I read a book called the Flood - novel based on the bible story. In it, Noe gets the tar for his boat from giants. Is this in the bible story too?