7 Feet 6 Inch Giant Iowa Skeleton
7 Feet 6 Inch Giant Iowa Skeleton – Greater Ancestors
who, judging from actual measurement, must have stood seven feet six inches tall when alive. the bones crumbled to dust when exposed to the air. Around the neck was a collar of bear’s teeth, and across the thighs were dozens of small copper beads, which may have once adorned a hunting skirt. The latter were formed by rolling wire-like strips of metal into little rings. One skull obtained from a mound in Alabama was completely filled with small shells.
In another mound in Iowa was found a central chamber containing 11 skeletons, which were arranged in a circle with their backs against the walls. In their midst was a great sea shell, which had been converted to a drinking cup. Smaller cavities in the same tumulus were filled with a fine copper colored dust which, when first uncovered gave out a such a sickening odor that operations had to be suspended for awhile. The dust was supposed to be from ashes of burial flesh-perhaps that of individuals in the central chamber. Many tribes of Indians in ancient times made a practice of removing the flesh from the bones of the dead. Among the objects found in them were pearls in great numbers and some of them in very large size, engraved shells and bracelets of drawn wire, silver brooches pins, needles a silver plate with the coat of arms of Spain, a gun barrel, a Roman catholic medal, a copper kettle, and a fur-covered, brass nailed trunk.
The Nebraska advertiser., November 19, 1897, Image 6About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909
So here we have to discuss the gun barrel, I do not think the gun barrel dates the burial to modern. As the article says it was customary in ancient practices to strip the flesh, so this is another case of a gun barrel in one of the ancient burials. No make no model no type.
Nother note: In the 2013-14 year in the NBA the tallest player was 7 foot 3 so this skeleton probably lost up to 3 inches, so he was 3-6″ taller than the tallest person in the NBA that year. That’s rare!
~Chris L Lesley
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