quote: The supposed remains of Sa-Nakht, a pharaoh of ancient Egypt, may be the oldest known human giant, a new study finds.
Myths abound with stories of giants, from the frost and fire giants of Norse legends to the Titans who warred with the gods inancient Greek mythology. However, giants are more than just myth; accelerated and excessive growth, a condition known asgigantism, can occur when the body generates too much growth hormone. This usually occurs because of a tumor on the pituitary gland of the brain.
As part of ongoing research into mummies, scientists investigated a skeleton found in 1901 in a tomb near Beit Khallaf in Egypt. Previous research estimated that the bones dated from the Third Dynasty of Egypt, about 2700 B.C. [Photos: The Amazing Mummies of Peru and Egypt]
Prior work suggested that the skeleton of the man — who would have stood at up to 6 feet, 1.6 inches (1.987 meters) tall — may have belonged to Sa-Nakht, a pharaoh during the Third Dynasty. Previous research on ancient Egyptian mummies suggested the average height for men around this time was about 5 foot, 6 inches (1.7 m), said study co-author Michael Habicht, an Egyptologist at the University of Zurich's Institute of Evolutionary Medicine.
Ancient Egyptian kings were likely better fed and in better health than commoners of the era, and so they could be expected grow taller than average. Still, the over 6-foot-tall remains the scientists analyzed would have towered over Ramsses II, the tallest recorded ancient Egyptian pharaoh, who lived more than 1,000 years after Sa-Nakht and was only about 5 foot, 9 inches (1.75 m) tall, Habicht said.
In the new study, Habicht and his colleagues reanalyzed the alleged skull and bones of Sa-Nakht. The skeleton's long bones showed evidence of "exuberant growth," which are "clear signs of gigantism," Habicht said.
These findings suggest that this ancient Egyptian probably had gigantism, making him the oldest known case of this disorder in the world, the researchers said. No other ancient Egyptian royals were known to be giants.
"Studying the evolutionary development of diseases is of importance for today's medicine," Habicht said.
In the early dynasties of Egypt, short statures were apparently preferred, with "many small people in royal service," Habicht said. "The reasons for this preference are not always certain."
Still, because the alleged remains of Sa-Nakht were buried in an elite tomb, there may have been no social stigma attached with gigantism at the time, the researchers said.
The scientists detailed their findings in the August issue of the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.
posted
This height is unusual for this time period. In Dinka, Nuer and Shilluk villages, this would not be even remotely interesting.
Posts: 1568 | From: Pluto | Registered: Sep 2008
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The Bones of Hen Nekht, an Egyptian King of the Third Dynasty. By Charles S. Myers (cf. MAN, 1901. 131).
From archaeological data, it appears that Hen Nekht ruled over Egypt in the Third Dynasty, about 4000 B.C. His tomb, with its contents of bones and pottery, was discovered last season near Girgeh, by Mr. John Garstang, to whom my thanks are due for permission to publish these remarks before they are included in the official report, which will appear later through the aid of the Egyptian Research Account.
The bones of Hen Nekht are interesting, not only because he is by far the earliest known king whose remains have been found, but because they are the first which can with any certainty be dated as belonging to the Third Dynasty. They proclaim him to have been a man of unusual height. His stature probably exceeded 1870 millimetres, while the average stature of later and prehistoric Egyptians was 1670 millimetres. The proportions of his long bones to one another were such as characterise negroid skeletons, a condition frequently observed in the prehistoric period, and commonly in the later period of the early empire. The skull was very massive and capacious, and extraordi- narily broad for an Egyptian, the cranial index coming almost within the bounds of hrachyeephaly. Its features jigrecd more closely with those of dynastic than with those of prehistoric skulls.
We turn now to history for the mention of an early Egyptian king of phenomenal stature. To such a king both Manetho and Eratosthenes allude. According to the former historian he was Sesochris, penultimate king of the Second (Thinite) Dynasty ; according to the latter he was Momcheiri, first king of the Third (Memphite) Dynasty. It is in the highest degree probable that these are two names of one and the same king. The view I here offer seems to solve many difficulties.
Mr. Randall-Maclver's measurements make it probable that from the late prehistoric times onward, a people distinguished by broader heads, longer noses, and other characters gradually made their way and became absorbed into the long-headed population of This and its neighbourhood. These broader-headed people formed the ruling class of the earliest dynasties. According to history and tradition they founded Memphis, and doubtless multiplied there. By the Third Dynasty, according to Manetho, they beganto build houses of hewn stone, and probably they constructed the earliest Egyptian pyramids. They developed at Memphis a remarkable school of sculpture, soon producing the most life-like wooden statue of a man that has ever been made ; he, too, was broad- headed. Up to the time of Hen Nekht, the broader-headed line of kings styled them- selves Thinite, and continued to be buried near This, in conformity with the ancient tradition of the people with whom they had come into contact. In the end, however, Memphis outvied This, and kings who succeeded Hen Nekht began to forsake the simple Thinite burials for the pyramids of Saqqarah, Gizeh, and Abousir. Thus Hen Nekht may be considered in name and culture to be of the Third, or Memphite Dynasty ; but, by his burial near This, came to be regarded as belonging to the previous Thinite Dynasty.
The broader-headed race above mentioned is commonly thought to have arrived first in the Nile Valley at Koptos (Quft) from Punt, a land sacred to the later Egyptians, the situation of which it is conjectured was near Somaliland and the opposite coast, There is, however, some geological evidence to show that the Red Sea extended in historic times through the lakes near to Ismailia. Accordingly the people of Punt, wandering northward from their home along the shores of the Red Sea, could conceivably have made their way with ease to the Nile Valley nearer Memphis. It is, however, not less probable that Asia rather than Punt was the home of this broader-headed race. The earliest dynastic Egyptians used the Babylonian seals and the Babylonian cubit. To Asia and Central Europe we are wont to lo.ok for the broader-headed people. Moreover, according to the Greek legend,* Memphis was founded by the marriage of Memphis, daughter of the Nile, with Epaphus, who born of the Grecian lo (Isis) was carried off when a babe to Syria, and brought back by his mother to Egypt.
quote:Originally posted by the lioness,: "The Bones of Hen Nekht, an Egyptian King of the Third Dynasty".
How were these folks able to determine the age of bones, back then? And especially the dynasty it belonged to.
Posts: 22234 | From: האם אינכם כילדי הכרית אלי בני ישראל | Registered: Nov 2010
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quote:Originally posted by sudaniya: This height is unusual for this time period. In Dinka, Nuer and Shilluk villages, this would not be even remotely interesting.
Do you have info on height measurements pertaining those groups during that time period. I know other Sahara-Sahel could groups be candidates as well, but I'm not of sure this time period.
Posts: 22234 | From: האם אינכם כילדי הכרית אלי בני ישראל | Registered: Nov 2010
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posted
I was about to post this nice article from Yahoo news but I see Punos Rey already post it. Pharaoh Hen Nekht was probably from the Dinka or Tutsi ethnic group, they are among the tallest people in Africa
quote:Originally posted by the lioness,: "The Bones of Hen Nekht, an Egyptian King of the Third Dynasty".
How were these folks able to determine the age of bones, back then? And especially the dynasty it belonged to.
Posts: 22234 | From: האם אינכם כילדי הכרית אלי בני ישראל | Registered: Nov 2010
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