3 7ft Skeletons Waimea
3 7ft Skeletons Waimea
THREE SKELETONS OF OLDEN GIANTS ARE DISCOVERED
Road-workers at Waimea, Hawaii, Dig Up Bones of Men Over Seven Feet Tall
HEAD OF GREAT BATTLE RELIEVED NOW CONFIRMED
Story of Maui King Whose Bodyguard Fell on Invasion; Brought Back to Mind
Three gigantic skeletons unearthed a few days ago at Waimea, Hawaii, have aroused intense interest among those who have heard of the unusual happening. The immense size of the skeletons confirms stories in Hawaiian legends of the great stature and tremendous strength of the men of old, particularly those who surrounded the kings and chiefs in the days when might and right went together.
The news of the discovery came to Honolulu on Saturday by the Mauna Kea. John H. Wise, who has been at work in the Waimea homestead district on the homesteading project in which he and several other local people are interested, vouches for the correctness of the information, having personally inspected the skeletons and made rough but practical measurements of some of the bones.
“There is no question that the men were well over seven feet high,” said Wise today. “The leg bones, for instance, were far longer than that of any man in Hawaii today, so far as we know. I am something over five feet ten in height and the leg bone, from foot to knee, came halfway between my knee and thigh. The bones were of immense size. The skulls were also of great size, while the conformation indicated that the men were of an intelligent type. The forehead was bold, instead of retreating, and all the skull bones were well formed.”
The three skeletons were dug up by a road-gang building a new road in cutting down a grade; the three skeletons were found. Wise says that the men were not buried, for neither the posture nor the surroundings showed any evidence of Hawaiian burial. “What was wanted was to place them in a bent posture, shoulders forward and arms wound down to the knees,” he said this morning, “but none of these bodies had been so arranged. They were lying in an extended attitude, the figures on their sides, and it is reasonable to suppose that they were soldiers fallen in battle, both from the circumstances under which they have been found and because their discovery bears out a legend dealing with a great battle in this district in the sixteenth century.”
Perhaps unfortunately for scientific research, the Hawaiians who were employed on the road-gang refused to allow the skeletons to be taken away, and they were reburied. However, Wise says that they can probably be secured in case they should be desired for the Bishop Museum. He thinks that ethnologists would find much of value in studying them.
(Continued on page eight)
- 3 Giant Skeletons over 7 Feet Tall discovered at Waimea on the Big Isle of Hawaii Honolulu 1912 Newspaper.
- Chris L Lesley/GAWMuseum
THREE SKELETONS OF OLDEN GIANTS ARE DISCOVERED
(Continued from page one)
The skeletons of olden giants discovered at Waimea, Hawaii, have caused much excitement and interest. The immense size of the skeletons confirms the legends of the great stature and strength of the men of old in Hawaiian folklore, especially those who served as bodyguards to the kings and chiefs. These skeletons provide physical evidence supporting these tales.
John H. Wise, who personally inspected the skeletons, confirms their colossal size. The leg bones alone were much longer than those of any man in Hawaii today. The skulls were also exceptionally large, and their conformation indicated intelligence. The skeletons were found close together, about two feet below the surface, suggesting they were not buried but fell in battle. The circumstances of their discovery align with a legend recounting a great battle in the Waimea district during the sixteenth century. According to the legend, a Maui king and his forces invaded Hawaii, but the Hawaii leader, Lonoikamakahiki, cunningly trapped the invaders, resulting in the defeat and demise of the Maui army.
Unfortunately, the road-gang workers who discovered the skeletons refused to allow them to be taken away, and they were reburied. However, efforts may be made to secure the skeletons for further study by ethnologists, as they hold significant value in understanding the history and culture of ancient Hawaii.
3 Giant Skeletons over 7 Feet Tall discovered at Waimea on the Big Isle of Hawaii Honolulu 1912 Newspaper. Honolulu star-bulletin., December 22, 1913, 2:30 Edition, pages 1 & 8
- 3 Giant Skeletons over 7 Feet Tall discovered at Waimea on the Big Isle of Hawaii Honolulu 1912 Newspaper.
- Honolulu star-bulletin., December 22, 1913, 2;30 Edition, pages 1 & 8
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