Posted on 04/01/2014 4:28:34 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
The remains of a man buried 3,800 years ago in a richly decorated California grave bear some unusual but unmistakable features — a protruding brow, a lantern jaw, thick leg and arm bones, and teeth so crowded together that at one point they erupt in rows three deep.
According to a new study of the ancient skeleton, they are signs of acromegaly, a rare disorder of the endocrine system that’s similar to gigantism.
The California man is among the very few examples of acromegaly ever found in the archaeological record, and it’s the oldest ever identified, according to Dr. Eric Bartelink, a physical anthropologist at California State University, Chico...
Acromegaly has only been identified definitively at two other archaeological sites in North America, Bartelink said: in the remains of a male buried in New Mexico about 600 years ago, and an unsexed 1,100-year-old skull found in Illinois...
The man, believed to have been in his mid-30s at the time of his death, was found in a burial mound with 176 other bodies near the Central Valley town of Elk Grove...
In the case of Burial 37, the body was daubed with red ochre on the head, chest, pelvis, left elbow, and on both hands and feet. The grave was festooned with 48 beads made from the shells of Olivella sea snails, and another 7 ornaments crafted from abalone...
(Excerpt) Read more at westerndigs.org ...
The skull of the man found in the site known as Burial 37 bears the distinct marks of acromegaly, new research finds. The black arrow indicates where the man’s right eye tooth erupted just below his nose. (Photo by Eric Bartelink/Phoebe Hearst Museum)
Genetic Abnormality or Nephilium survivor?
Have they notified Kerry yet that they had found his ancestor? Any evidence the he was also involved in a Asian land war. or relics like heart shaped purple stones?
That’s what I’m wondering.
That had to hurt like hell. I wonder if there are any other animals that so typically have dental issues?
I was kind of hoping they’d give his height. I’m sure from the skeleton they could ascertain it.
When I read I Claudius he mentioned there was an island with a man who was 11 feet tall on it. He said the man was very thin and weak but the accounts I have read when they mention gigantism never mention anyone growing to this extraordinary height in those days.
SF Giants coulda used him.
It would interesting to see if that was from an ancient source, or something Robert Graves cooked up for fun.
That is exactly what I was wondering.
3800 years ago? That is old. I had never heard of the "Windmiller" man.
The Kennewick man (Caucasian, not Asian) was thought to be the first homo sapiens sapiens in the new world. They hunted the giant mastodons.
Learn something new every day.
Looks like he was killed by a blow to the head.
Si-Te-Cah! The legends are true!
I’m just glad they were able to study it.
The article says that he was 5’5”. He had acromegaly, not gigantism.
Kennewick wasn’t caucasion, that was a misidentification by someone who didn’t know he was dealing with a very old skeleton. This skeleton is about 4000 years younger.
I wonder what the sutures look like.
Could also be from the shovel when the skull was dug up.
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