Seneca Iroquois Giant Buried in a Mound

Hopewell Seneca Iroquois Giant Buried in a Mound

    A Seneca of giant proportions having wandered west to the Mississippi, and from thence east again to the sea-coast, about the period of the colonization of the country, received a gun from a vessel, together with some ammunition, and an explanation of its use. Having returned to the Senecas at Ga-nun-da-sa-ga, be exhibited to them the wonderful implement of destruction, the first they had ever seen, and taught them how to use it. Soon after, from some mysterious cause, he was found dead; and this mound was raised over him on the place where he lay.Seneca Iroquois Giant Buried in a Mound

Excavating Ohio's Ancient Giant Queen at Chillicothe, Ohio

Excavating Ohio's Ancient Giant Queen at Chillicothe, Ohio

Prehistoric America, 1911

     Under a mound at Chillicothe, the skeleton was discovered of a very tall woman who died young; her teeth were all intact, and at her feet lay the bones of a child. Beneath these human remains was greasy black earth, in which the microscope has revealed remains of animal matter and heaps of cinders. Further excavations brought to light a great many other bones. It is uncertain whether they were those of unfortunates offered up in sanguinary rites, or merely of those whose remains had been subjected to cremation as a mark of respect. All the bodies lay on the left side, and by each one was placed a vessel full of food, which would hardly have been provided for victims. These are very characteristic funeral rites.

8 Foot Giant Excavated in a New York Burial Mound Replicated by Eye-Witness

8 Foot Giant Excavated in a New York Burial Mound Replicated by Eye-Witness

In 1876, a young man accompanied several of his neighbors who excavated a burial mound. What he witnessed would inspire him 62 years later to carve a replica of the remarkable find. Mr. Huntington’s motivation was to recreate exactly what he had witnessed many years ago, using the measurements taken by Mr. Cheney who was present at the dig. The model was built life-size, according to measurements taken by Mr. Huntington when a mound on the Conewango Road was opened. In the background is one of the two busts that he carved based on the measurements of a man who was 8 foot in height and a woman that was 7 foot 6 inches who were removed from the Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, West Virginia.

The original account of the burial mound was printed in the History of Cattaraugus County, New York in 1879. These county histories featured prominent citizens of the county, whose reputations were beyond reproach.