8 foot Human Skeleton and Giants Graveyard at Carthage Illinois



Iowa State Reporter, September 10, 1891
SKELETONS OF GIANTS
Hundreds of Skulls Found-Interesting Discoveries in the Burial Mounds at Carthage, Ill.
CARTHGAGE, ILL., Sept. 4-Assisted by students, Profs. Dysanger, Hail, Segler and O'Hara, of Carthage college, on Wednesday opened the Sweeney burial mound on the farm of Cyrus Felt, northeast of this city. At first a covering of stone was encountered, all of the red limestone variety . Most of these stones on being removed crumbled away into sand. Under them were found immense quantities of bones, many skulls and several pieces of flint. Some pieces of pottery so badly decayed and broken as to be unrecognizable were found also. Measurements were taken of several skulls. One measured 7 ¾ inches across the parietal bone, another 6 inches. Three femur bones were found measuring 9 inches in length, some that measured 17 ½ inches in length and others measuring from 12 to 14 inches. One measured 3 inches across the lower end of the femur bone. Dr. Veatch says the bones indicate that the men must have been from 8 to 7 feet tall at least. One jawbone was secured that contained a perfect row of teeth which evidently belonged to a middle-aged person.
Upon digging a few feet farther down another layer of rocks was discovered, and upon removing these several skeletons, perfect in form, lay all huddled together as if they had fallen in battle. Some of the skeletons were preserved almost entire, although most of the bones would crumble away upon being exposed to the air. It is believed that fully 500 corpses were buried here, as basketful after basketful of bones were taken out, while the mound is literally full of them. The skulls were all filled with a peculiarly soft and very black loam, different from the surrounding earth.