Were there giants?
Old texts describe giants, 19th-century reports describe huge skeletons, and a viral story says the Smithsonian destroyed them. This case checks each claim against the records, the Smithsonian’s own included.
The question Did a race of giant humans ever exist, and is the Smithsonian hiding their skeletons?
What the records say
The documented story holds up: 11 of 13 timeline steps are Confirmed by the records (score 96).
4 theories checked: 2 disproven, 1 unverified, 1 likely. A theory is rated by its key claim.
Fact-checkers trace the story, still spreading, to the satire site
confirmedCredible: two independent tier-2 reports. See the step
Down the rabbit hole
The ground line is the documented timeline. Each tunnel is a theory that branches off it; every chamber is a step, coloured by how well the records support it. The deepest chamber is the theory’s key claim. Tap one to open it.
Main timeline
Oldest first- 2.3 million to about 215,000 years agoconfirmed
A real giant primate lived in southern China, and it was an ape
Gigantopithecus blacki is the largest primate known, with an estimated height of about 3 m and a mass of 200–300 kg. A 2024 Nature study dates its extinction to between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago. It is a relative of the orangutan, known only from four jaws and almost 2,000 teeth.
T1Zhang et al., Nature, 2024abstract; main text, first section - Antiquity (Hebrew Bible)confirmed
The Hebrew Bible says there were giants: the Nephilim, the Anakites and King Og
Genesis 6:4 reads, in the King James Version, “There were giants in the earth in those days”. Numbers 13:33 has the spies feel like grasshoppers beside them, and Deuteronomy 3:11 gives Og of Bashan an iron bed nine cubits long. These are records of what the texts say.
T3King James Bible: Gen 6:4, Num 13:33, Deut 3:11Gen 6:4; Num 13:33; Deut 3:11T3JPS Tanakh: Gen 6:4, Num 13:33, Deut 3:11Gen 6:4; Num 13:33; Deut 3:11 - Antiquity and the Middle Agesconfirmed
Greek and Norse myths have giants too
Hesiod’s Theogony has Earth bear “the great Giants with gleaming armour”. In Snorri Sturluson’s Prose Edda the frost giants descend from the first being, Ymer: “All giants have / Come from Ymer.”
T3Hesiod, Theogony (Evelyn-White transl.)Theogony, ll. 176–206T3Snorri Sturluson, Prose Edda (Anderson transl., 1879)Gylfaginning, on Ymer - Antiquitylikely
Ancient writers describe the bones of giant heroes dug out of the ground
Herodotus tells of a smith at Tegea who found a coffin seven cubits long holding a body as long as the coffin, which the Spartans took to be Orestes. The classical folklorist Adrienne Mayor writes that the 2nd-century AD geographer Pausanias reported bones said to be Ajax’s, and that such finds fit the large fossils of the region.
T3Herodotus, Histories, book 1 (Macaulay transl.)book 1, the bones of OrestesT2Mayor, Archaeology magazine, 2000 - 1705confirmed
Huge bones found near Albany, New York, are read as the giants of Genesis
Teeth and bones were found at Claverack, about thirty miles from Albany. The Puritan minister Cotton Mather tied them to Genesis 6:4 in a letter of 17 November 1712, excerpted by the Royal Society in 1714. Archaeology magazine calls the bones mastodon fossils.
- 1835likely
A bestselling book reports giant skulls and bones in the American Midwest
Josiah Priest’s American Antiquities and Discoveries in the West reported finds such as skulls and bones in Indiana of people “of gigantic stature”. Archaeology magazine says it went through five editions and 22,000 copies.
- 16 Oct 1869confirmed
The “Cardiff Giant” is dug up in New York, and it turns out to be a carved statue
Workmen digging a well on William Newell’s farm found a stone figure more than 10 feet long. George Hull had it carved from gypsum and planted there in 1868. On 25 November the Yale palaeontologist Othniel C. Marsh called it “a most decided humbug”, and Hull confessed in December.
T2Rose, Archaeology magazineT2Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Oct 2017involved party: Smithsonian Institution - 1894confirmed
The Smithsonian’s own Bureau of Ethnology report records a skeleton 7½ feet long
Cyrus Thomas’s report on the mound explorations describes, in a mound in Kanawha County, West Virginia, “a skeleton, measuring 7½ feet in length and 19 inches across the shoulders”. The same volume’s introduction by J. W. Powell says the work “seems to disprove” the theory of a vanished race of mound-builders.
T1Thomas, Bureau of Ethnology report, 1894p. 426; introduction, p. XLIinvolved party: Smithsonian Institution - 27 Jun 1940confirmed
The tallest person ever measured, Robert Wadlow, is 2.72 m (8 ft 11.1 in)
Wadlow, of Alton, Illinois, was last measured 18 days before his death on 15 July 1940. His growth came from an over-active pituitary gland, and his doctors at Barnes Hospital in St Louis wrote him up in 1932 as “the Alton giant”.
T2Guinness World Records, tallest man everT2de Herder and Raymond, Pituitary, 2023“Robert Wadlow, the tallest man ever” - 2002confirmed
The best-known “giant skeleton” photo is made for a photo-editing contest
An artist calling himself IronKite placed a human skeleton over a photo of a mastodon dig in Hyde Park, New York. It came third in Worth1000’s “Archaeological Anomalies 2” contest, then spread from 2004 as a real find.
T2National Geographic News, 14 Dec 2007involved party: National Geographic SocietyT2PolitiFact, 30 Sep 2022T2Snopes, 17 Dec 2014Sources disagreeNational Geographic dates the Hyde Park mastodon dig to 2000; PolitiFact says 2004. - Nov 2014confirmed
The History channel’s series “Search for the Lost Giants” follows two brothers hunting for giant bones
Jim and Bill Vieira, stonemasons, set out to show that old newspaper reports of giant skeletons were true. History’s own clips of the series were posted from 12 November 2014.
- 3 Dec 2014confirmed
A satire website publishes “Smithsonian admits to destruction of thousands of giant human skeletons”
World News Daily Report said a US Supreme Court ruling had forced the Smithsonian to release papers on destroyed skeletons “between 6 feet and 12 feet in height”. Snopes rated it satire within two weeks.
T4World News Daily Report, 3 Dec 2014T2Snopes, 17 Dec 2014T2Smithsonian Magazine, myths articlemyth no. 11involved party: Smithsonian Institution - Aug to Nov 2022confirmed
Fact-checkers trace the story, still spreading, to the satire site
Lead Stories (3 Aug 2022) found no such court order and a Smithsonian representative told it the claim was untrue. PolitiFact (3 Nov 2022) rated the claim “Pants on Fire”, noting the story came from a site that publishes fiction.
Branches
Go down oneA branch is only as strong as its weakest step so far. The count is how many sources back each step.
“The Smithsonian hid the skeletons”
Did the Smithsonian admit to destroying, or hide, the skeletons of giants?
World News Daily Report’s satire article. The idea is older: Jason Colavito records criticising Jim Vieira in 2013 for asserting that the Smithsonian suppresses evidence of giants.
- 11,244,449 YouTube views, The Why Files “Forbidden Archaeology: Lost Giants of America | The Smithsonian’s Biggest Secret” as of 12 Oct 2026 T4YouTube: The Why Files, 2023
- 553,271 YouTube views, “Lost Giants of America: The Biggest Cover-Up in Human History” as of 12 Oct 2026 T4YouTube: “Lost Giants of America”, 2024
- 82 Comment entries under the original article, three weeks after publication as of 25 Dec 2014 (Internet Archive capture) T4World News Daily Report, 3 Dec 2014comments
The Smithsonian’s own reports record giant skeletons
A proponent’s article quotes Bureau of Ethnology reports of skeletons 7 to 7½ feet long as proof the “establishment” already knew.
The premise: confirmedTrue: the 1894 report records a skeleton 7½ feet long and calls it a “giant frame”. It published the finding rather than hiding it, and its introduction says the work “seems to disprove” the lost-race theory.
T1Thomas, Bureau of Ethnology report, 1894pp. 426–427; introduction, p. XLIinvolved party: Smithsonian InstitutionA court forced the Smithsonian to admit it destroyed the bones
The 2014 article cites a Supreme Court ruling, whistleblowers and a 1.3 m femur shown in court.
The premise: disprovenNo such ruling exists, Snopes says, and Lead Stories found none in court and news records. The site’s own disclaimer calls its articles fiction.
Giant finds never reach a museum, so they must be covered up
“the existence of giants, for some reason, has been covered up.”
T4YouTube: The Why Files, 2023descriptionThe premise: unverifiedNo record of any concealment was found. The Smithsonian denies it, but as the accused party its denial alone settles nothing. The one detailed “admission” offered is fiction.
T2Snopes, 17 Dec 2014T2Lead Stories, 3 Aug 2022T2Smithsonian Magazine, myths articlemyth no. 11involved party: Smithsonian Institution
- confirmed
World News Daily Report’s 2014 article says the Smithsonian admitted destroying giant skeletons
It cites a Supreme Court ruling, an “American Institution of Alternative Archeology” and whistleblowers. It says thousands of skeletons were destroyed “to protect the mainstream chronology of human evolution”.
StartStrength so far:confirmed· 2 sources on this step - confirmed
The website’s own disclaimer says its articles are fiction
In December 2014 the disclaimer took responsibility for “the satirical nature of its articles and for the fictional nature of their content”.
= HoldsStrength so far:confirmed· 3 sources on this step - confirmed
No such Supreme Court ruling exists
Snopes found no such decision, and Lead Stories found none in SCOTUSblog or news sources.
= HoldsStrength so far:confirmed· 2 sources on this step - confirmed
The Smithsonian denies it
A Smithsonian representative told Lead Stories on 3 August 2022 “Yeah, definitely not.” PolitiFact reports a spokesperson told Reuters the same. The Smithsonian is the accused party, so this is its own word.
= HoldsStrength so far:confirmed· 2 sources on this step - unverified
Wider claim: the Smithsonian keeps giant bones hidden
Proponents point to later Smithsonian scientists who dismissed giant reports. No record of concealed or destroyed giant bones was found; the Smithsonian’s denial is that of an interested party.
T3Ancient Origins (Jarrell), 2021T2Smithsonian Magazine, myths articlemyth no. 11involved party: Smithsonian Institution▼ WeakerStrength so far:unverified· 2 sources on this step - disproven
Key claim: the Smithsonian admitted in court to destroying thousands of giant skeletons
The admission, the court case and the institute in the story trace to a self-declared fiction site, and independent fact-checkers found no such ruling.
▼ WeakerStrength so far:disproven· 3 sources on this step
Bullshit meter
- Wider claim: the Smithsonian keeps giant bones hidden. Unverified.
- Key claim: the Smithsonian admitted in court to destroying thousands of giant skeletons. Disproven.
- Key claim contradicted by tier 1? Partly. No tier-1 record contradicts it, but independent tier-2 fact-checks show the “admission” came from a fiction site and found no court ruling. The wider claim of hidden bones is Unverified: nothing supports it.
Fluff meter: possibly planted
- Can’t be traced to an original record. Present: the “admission” traces only to a fiction site; no court record was found.
- First appeared from new or anonymous accounts. Not measured.
- Coordinated identical wording. Not measured. The 2022 posts repeat the 2014 headline, but coordination was not checked.
- Cited source doesn’t exist. Present: no such Supreme Court ruling was found (Snopes, Lead Stories).
- Later contradicted. Present: fact-checks in 2014 and 2022.
● present · ○ absent · – not measured. Lists signals only. It never accuses anyone.
Personal interest meter
- Smithsonian Institution, is the accused party. Its magazine’s myth article and its spokespeople’s denials are its own word, so the key claim is rated on Snopes, Lead Stories and PolitiFact instead. T2Smithsonian Magazine, myths articlemyth no. 11involved party: Smithsonian Institution
“Has a documented interest” only, each one sourced. Never an implication of guilt.
Correlation meter
- Robert Wadlow, 2.72 m, main step 9 and the Nephilim branch: the tallest measured human, for scale against the 7½-foot skeleton of 1894. T2Guinness World Records, tallest man ever
- Mastodon remains, the Claverack bones of 1705 (main step 5), the 2002 contest photo (photos branch) and the fossils branch. T2National Geographic News, 14 Dec 2007involved party: National Geographic Society
- The Smithsonian’s 1894 mound report, main step 8, cited by proponents in the Nephilim and Smithsonian branches. T1Thomas, Bureau of Ethnology report, 1894p. 426involved party: Smithsonian Institution
- Archaeology magazine’s hoax feature, Mather, Priest and the Cardiff Giant in the main timeline, and the origin of the fossils branch. T2Rose, Archaeology magazine
Links to other cases appear once those cases exist.
Who worked on this
This case was assembled by the site from public records. Contributions are not open yet. Nothing here is invented, so the counts are zero.
This is the first published version of the case.
Sources
- T1Y. Zhang, K. E. Westaway, S. Haberle, J. K. Lubeek et al., “The demise of the giant ape Gigantopithecus blacki”, Nature 625, 535–539 (published online 10 Jan 2024), doi:10.1038/s41586-023-06900-0. www.nature.com
- T3The Bible, King James Version: Genesis 6:4, Numbers 13:33 and Deuteronomy 3:11, text as served by bible-api.com. A record of what the text says, not evidence that it happened.. bible-api.com
- T3The JPS Tanakh: Gender-Sensitive Edition, Genesis 6:4, Numbers 13:33 and Deuteronomy 3:11, text as served by Sefaria. A record of what the text says.. www.sefaria.org
- T3Hesiod, “Theogony”, lines 176–206, in Hugh G. Evelyn-White (transl.), “Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica”, Project Gutenberg eBook 348. A record of the myth.. www.gutenberg.org
- T3Snorri Sturluson, “The Younger Edda; also called Snorre’s Edda, or The Prose Edda”, translated by Rasmus B. Anderson (Chicago, copyright 1879), Project Gutenberg eBook 18947. A record of the myth.. www.gutenberg.org
- T3Herodotus, “The History of Herodotus”, volume 1, translated by G. C. Macaulay, book 1, the Spartan search for the bones of Orestes, Project Gutenberg eBook 2707. A record of an ancient story.. www.gutenberg.org
- T2Adrienne Mayor, “A Time of Giants and Monsters”, Archaeology (Archaeological Institute of America), 2000; abstract page, © 2000 AIA. Based on her book The First Fossil Hunters (Princeton University Press).. archive.archaeology.org
- T2Mark Rose (executive editor), “When Giants Roamed the Earth”, Archaeology magazine online feature “Hoaxes, Fakes, and Strange Sites”, Archaeological Institute of America (page © 2009). archive.archaeology.org
- T2George Lyman Kittredge, “Cotton Mather’s Scientific Communications to the Royal Society”, Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, April 1916, pp. 18 ff.. www.americanantiquarian.org
- T2involved party: Smithsonian Institution Kat Eschner, “The Cardiff Giant Was Just a Big Hoax”, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Oct 2017. www.smithsonianmag.com
- T1involved party: Smithsonian Institution Cyrus Thomas, “Report on the Mound Explorations of the Bureau of Ethnology”, in the Twelfth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, 1890–91 (Washington, 1894), with an introduction by J. W. Powell. repository.si.edu · copy read: archive.org
- T2“Tallest man ever”, Guinness World Records record page (undated; read 12 Oct 2026). www.guinnessworldrecords.com
- T2Wouter W. de Herder and Warren A. Raymond, “Neuropathic foot ulcers in the tallest patients with acromegalic gigantism: a common and significant problem. Historical overview”, Pituitary 26, 333–339 (published online 4 Jun 2023), doi:10.1007/s11102-023-01325-4. A historical review drawing on Barnes Hospital records.. link.springer.com
- T2involved party: National Geographic Society James Owen, “‘Skeleton of Giant’ Is Internet Photo Hoax”, National Geographic News, 14 Dec 2007 (now titled “Find Out How the Giant Skeleton Hoax Started”). www.nationalgeographic.com
- T2Kim LaCapria, “Did the Smithsonian Destroy Thousands of Giant Human Skeletons?”, Snopes, 17 Dec 2014 (rating: Labeled Satire). www.snopes.com
- T2“No bones about it. Persistent rumors that giant remains were found in Ohio are still False.”, PolitiFact, 30 Sep 2022 (corrected 3 Oct 2022). www.politifact.com
- T2“Smithsonian didn’t admit to destroying giant human skeletons”, PolitiFact, 3 Nov 2022 (rating: Pants on Fire). www.politifact.com
- T2Marlo Lee, “Fact Check: Smithsonian Did NOT Destroy Giant Skeletons -- It’s An Internet Hoax”, Lead Stories, 3 Aug 2022. leadstories.com
- T2involved party: Smithsonian Institution Jesse Rhodes, updated by Eli Wizevich, “Busting 13 of the Smithsonian’s Most Persistent Myths”, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Aug 2009, updated 9 Aug 2024 (myth no. 11). www.smithsonianmag.com
- T4“Smithsonian Admits to Destruction of Thousands of Giant Human Skeletons in Early 1900′s”, World News Daily Report, 3 Dec 2014; read in the Internet Archive capture of 25 Dec 2014. A self-declared satire site.. worldnewsdailyreport.com · copy read: web.archive.org
- T4“Disclaimer”, World News Daily Report; read in the Internet Archive capture of 17 Dec 2014. worldnewsdailyreport.com · copy read: web.archive.org
- T3Jason Colavito, “History Channel Gives Jim Vieira a Series to Search for Lost Race of Giants”, jasoncolavito.com blog, 6 Oct 2014. Commentary by a sceptical author.. www.jasoncolavito.com
- T3Jason Colavito, “Review of Search for the Lost Giants S01E01 ‘Unraveling the Mystery’”, jasoncolavito.com blog, 5 Nov 2014. Commentary by a sceptical author.. www.jasoncolavito.com
- T3Jason Jarrell, “The Establishment Has Already Acknowledged A Lost Race of Giants - Part 1”, Ancient Origins (page metadata dated 13 Mar 2021). A proponent’s article; a record of the claim.. www.ancient-origins.net
- T3“Search for the Lost Giants: Giant Hunter Curse (S1, E4) | History”, HISTORY channel, YouTube, published 26 Nov 2014. www.youtube.com
- T3“Search for the Lost Giants: Where Are the Bones? (S1, E2) | History”, HISTORY channel, YouTube, published 12 Nov 2014. A web extra in which Jim Vieira says the giant reports need bones to back them up.. www.youtube.com
- T3“The UnXplained: GIANT SKELETONS Found In Wild West Cave (Season 4) | History”, HISTORY channel, YouTube, published 29 Jan 2023. www.youtube.com
- T4“Nephilim Giants Evidence | Michael Tellinger”, Awaken Zone channel, YouTube, published 17 Jun 2024. www.youtube.com
- T4“20 Shocking Discoveries of Giants You Won’t Believe Exist”, Ultimate Fact channel, YouTube, published 23 Sep 2021. www.youtube.com
- T4“Forbidden Archaeology: Lost Giants of America | The Smithsonian’s Biggest Secret”, The Why Files channel, YouTube, published 29 Jun 2023. www.youtube.com
- T4“Lost Giants of America: The Biggest Cover-Up in Human History”, Secret Origins channel, YouTube, published 31 Mar 2024. www.youtube.com