Sidestep: More on the Canadian Giants

Discoveries of the skeletons of a gigantic race often surfaced on various news articles and media, and we are therefore more puzzled to know to what race the ancient “Mound Builders” belonged. Monks Mound, built between 950 and 1100 CE and located at the Cahokia Mounds UNESCO World Heritage Site near Collinsville, Illinois, is the largest pre-Columbian earthwork in America north of Mesoamerica. A number of pre-Columbian cultures are collectively termed “Mound Builders”. About a century ago, an article appeared in The Toronto Daily Telegraph stating that in the township of Cayuga in the Grand River, at the farm of a resident named Daniel Fradenburg, five or six feet below the ground, were unearthed two hundred skeletons nearly all intact.

Pioneer Society of Michigan, 1915 (Ontario Canada) - On Wednesday last, Rev. Nathaniel Wardell, Messers. Orin Wardell (of Toronto), and Daniel Fradenburg, were digging on the farm of the latter gentleman, which is on the banks of the Grand River, in the township of Cayuga. The farm had been cultivated for a century and was originally covered with a thick growth of pine. When they got to five or six feet below the surface, a strange sight met them. Piled in layers, one upon top of the other, some two hundred skeletons of human beings nearly perfect — around the neck of each one being a string of beads. There were also deposited in this pit a number of axes and skimmers made of stone. In the jaws of several of the skeletons were large stone pipes — one of which Mr. O. Wardell took with him to Toronto a day or two after all this was unearthed. There was evidence from the crushed bones that a battle took place on that soil in the ancient time and these were some of the slain. Were these the remains of Indians, or some totally other race?

These skeletons are supposed to belong to those of a race of people earlier than the Indians. Some three years ago, the bones of a mastodon were found embedded in the earth about six miles from this spot.... (proving that those idiots suggesting people that found large skeletons mistook them for Mastadon bones therefore didn't know the difference - well maybe some didn't - are themselves idiots). The pit, once fully dug, was even open to the public for viewing for a short time. Its ghastly occupants were once open to the view of any who made a visit there. Some people believed that the locality of Fradenburg farm was formally an Indian burial site, but the enormous stature of the skeletons and the fact that pine trees of centuries growth covered the spot goes far to disprove this idea. These skeletons are those of men of gigantic stature, some of them measuring almost nine feet, very few of them being less than seven feet. Some of the thigh bones were found to be at least a foot longer than those at present known, and one of the skulls being examined completely covered the head of an ordinary person.

There is not the slightest doubt that the remains of a lost city are on this farm. At various times within the past years, the remains of mud houses with their chimneys had been found: and there are dozens of pits of a similar kind to that just unearthed, though much smaller, in the place which has been discovered before, though the fact has not been made public hitherto. The remains of a blacksmith’s shop, containing two tons of charcoal and various implements, were turned up at one point after the discovery. The skulls of the skeletons are of an enormous size and all manner of shapes, about half as large again as are now to be seen. The teeth in most of them are still in almost perfect state of preservation, though they soon fall out when exposed to the air. It is supposed that there is gold or silver in large quantities to be found in the premises, as mineral rods have invariably, when tested, pointed to a certain spot and a few yards from where the last batch of skeletons was found directly under the apple tree. Some large shells, supposed to have been used for holding water, which were also found in the pit, were almost petrified. There is no doubt that were a scheme of exploration carried on thoroughly the result would be highly interesting. A good deal of excitement exists in the neighborhood, and many visitors call at the farm daily.

The skulls and bones of the giants are fast disappearing, being taken away by curiosity hunters. It is the intention of Mr. Fredinburg to cover the pit up very soon. The pit is ghastly in the extreme. The farm is skirted on the north by the Grand River. The pit is close to the banks, but marks are there to show where the gold or silver treasure is supposed to be under.

From the appearance of the skulls, it would seem that their possessors died a violent death, as many of them were broken and dented. The axes are shaped like tomahawks, small, but keen, instruments. The beads are all of stone and of all sizes and shapes. The pipes are not unlike in shape the cutty pipe, and several of them are engraved with dogs’ heads. They have not lost their virtue for smoking.

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We at tangatawhenua16 advise that when examining these old newspaper stories you must consider four things... and consider these carefully....

• Real finds between 1840-1910 at a time when farming implements meant one could dig deeper and faster than ever before in history, were unearthing things buried 6' deep - sometimes in virgin unplowed indian land, as territories were opened up to the white man for the first time.

• The resulting frenzy undoubtedly had many create fake finds and stories as they become sensationally trendy and newsworthy, and this just adds to the suspicion of a few genuine finds. Most stories are written in a way one with the right mind can easy spot the fake ones. Others have little gems and specific detail which lend themselves to be genuine finds - if not embellished by journalists of the day (just as journalists do now in 2023).

• Few people had cameras up until 1940's. One would not leave them uncovered as word spread quickly. Relic collecting was rife. Many private households in the world have genuine large bones - just as we do.

• The fact there was little or no regulation on finding bones up until the 1930's. Then, when regulation, and archeology became more established, any finds had to be reported and they are always taken away. One of our team personally saw this type of thing first hand, in Tauranga NZ, as recent as 2008.

• By the 1930's there was little ground untouched by modern man. Most finds now are reported in isolated places, or random finds - such as the three of ours. In every case they are either untrue, or if real - seized, re-hidden in fear of repercussion or simply awaiting the right time or person to release it to.

If you picked there were five, not four, well done.