Giants in history: What old legends tell us

1. Historical records about giants
2. Scientific investigations of giant finds
3. Medical perspectives on gigantism
4. Facts versus fiction
5. Concluding thoughts and summary

Have you ever wondered why almost every ancient culture tells stories of giants? From the Norse Jötunn to the biblical Nephilim, these towering figures have captured the imagination of mankind for thousands of years.

Giant mythology is more than just a collection of fantastic tales. It combines historical records, scientific discoveries and medical findings to create a fascinating overall picture. In this article, we examine what lies behind the legendary lore and how modern research is reinterpreting the stories of the giants.

1. historical records of giants

The earliest historical records of giants date far back into human history. You can find reports about these extraordinary creatures in a wide variety of cultures.

Early written mentions

The first documented mentions of giants come from various historical sources. One fascinating example is the report by the Danish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus from the 12th century, who reported on enormous stone formations and attributed them to giants. The Dutch historian John Picardt also put forward this theory around 1660, based on the seemingly superhuman strength that must have been required to move these stones.

Religious texts and their descriptions

You will find particularly detailed descriptions in religious texts. The Bible mentions the Nephilim - giants who arose from the union of "sons of God" and "daughters of men". These beings are described as "heroes of ancient times, men of glory". Of particular interest is the story of King Og of Bashan, whose stone coffin is said to have been an impressive nine cubits long and four cubits wide.

Chronicles and historical reports

Historical reports of giant finds can be found throughout different eras:

• Chronicles of the Middle Ages
• Religious legends
• Historical records
• Encyclopedic texts

A remarkable find was made at Claverack near Albany at the beginning of the 18th century. What was initially thought to be the remains of a biblical giant later turned out to be a mammoth bone. Plutarch also reports a spectacular find: when the Roman general Sertorius had a supposed giant's grave opened, he came across a corpse that was supposedly sixty cubits long.

Medieval literature developed a complex understanding of giants, which is reflected in various textual traditions. These traditions combine historical facts with mythological elements and show how giant mythology developed over the centuries.

2. scientific investigations of giant finds

If you are involved in the scientific study of giant finds, you will soon realize that modern research methods shed a fascinating light on ancient legends.

Archaeological discoveries

Archaeologists in the Chinese province of Shandong have made a remarkable discovery. During excavations, they came across 5,000-year-old skeletons of people of extraordinary height - one of the skeletons found measured around 1.90 meters. Other skeletons from the same region point to people over 1.80 meters tall.

Notable archaeological finds include:

• 104 House ruins
• 205 Graves
• 20 Sacrificial pits

Anthropological analyses

Anthropological research shows that many historical "giant finds" are based on misinterpretations. What earlier generations thought were giant bones were often the remains of mammoths. This insight helps you to understand why many historical accounts of giants do not stand up to scientific scrutiny.

Modern research methods

Today, scientists use various methods to examine historical finds:

The historical anthropology plays a central role in this by not looking for "anthropological constants", but by examining concrete ways of life and their changes. This scientific approach enables you to distinguish between myth and reality.

Modern research methods have also shown that some supposed giant finds were clever fakes. Many of the images of "giant skeletons" circulating on the internet originate from Photoshop competitions or are digital manipulations.

3. medical perspectives on gigantism

Modern medicine offers fascinating insights into the phenomenon of giant growth, which was once often regarded as a mythological miracle.

Genetic factors

If you look into the genetic causes of giant stature, you will come across some interesting discoveries. Scientists have identified a specific gene mutation on the X chromosome that leads to giant stature. This mutation in the GPR101 gene is an important regulator of body growth.

Historical cases of gigantism

One remarkable historical case is that of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh Sanacht. With a height of 1.87 meters, he clearly towered over his contemporaries, who were on average only 1.65 to 1.68 meters tall. His femur measured an impressive 51.1 centimetres, compared to the average height of 45.2 centimetres at the time.

Scientific explanations

Medical research today distinguishes between two main forms of gigantism:

In about 95% of cases, the disease is caused by a benign tumor of the pituitary gland. Typical symptoms are

• Excessive growth of the extremities
• Enlargement of internal organs
• Metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus

Treatment options have improved significantly in recent years. Surgical removal of the tumor is considered the best initial treatment, often supplemented by medication and radiation. With modern genetic diagnostics, you can now detect the risk of giant stature at an early stage - around 200 to 300 people still carry the corresponding mutation.

4. facts versus fiction

When researching giant mythology, it is important that you can distinguish between fact and fiction. Scientific research into these fascinating legends has produced some surprising findings in recent years.

Verifiable evidence

The Smithsonian Institute had to publish documents about the discovery of exceptionally large skeletons following a court ruling. One particularly interesting find from 1894 describes a skeleton an impressive two and a half meters long, suggesting a height of around 2.70 meters in life.

Disproved legends

Many supposed proofs of the existence of giants have turned out to be misinterpretations or deliberate deceptions:

• The "Giant of Claverack" from the 18th century turned out to be a mammoth bone
• Numerous images of "giant skeletons" circulating on the Internet originate from Photoshop competitions
• Many historical "giant finds" are based on incorrect interpretations of fossil remains

Open research questions

The DNA analysis and modern archaeological methods open up new perspectives. Nevertheless, some questions remain unanswered:

• The exact size distribution in historical populations
• The influence of environmental factors on exceptional growth
• The interpretation of historical reports on giant finds

The Smithsonian Institute denies that it ever had anything to do with the giant skeletons described, which has led to various conspiracy theories. Modern research focuses on verifying historical reports using scientific methods and distinguishing between myth and verifiable facts.

5 Concluding thoughts and summary

Stories of giants have fascinated people for thousands of years - and not without reason. While many legendary traditions do not stand up to scientific scrutiny, modern research reveals exciting connections between myth and reality.

Medical findings on gigantism and archaeological discoveries of exceptionally tall people provide rational explanations for numerous historical accounts. These scientific perspectives do not take anything away from the cultural significance of the old legends - on the contrary, they help us to better understand the origins of these fascinating stories.

The combination of historical records, archaeological discoveries and medical findings paints a differentiated picture: giants were not just fantasy figures, but often also real people with special physical characteristics. This realization makes the millennia-old traditions even more remarkable and invites us to look at old legends with a new perspective.