In 1911, two miners searching for bat guano in Lovelock Cave, Nevada, stumbled upon a surprising discovery – more than 40 human skeletons, some of which were abnormally large. This discovery caused a sensation and sparked many questions about the possibility of a race of giants once inhabiting the Old West.
The large human skulls and skeletons found in the cave measured between 7 and 8 feet in height, which would have been quite significant for ancient man. The skeletons were often found with red hair, which added to the mystery of the discovery. Although many of the bones have been lost to time, a number of skulls were preserved in a local museum until they were removed and ceremonially buried about 10 years ago.
Over 100,000 artifacts were excavated from Lovelock Cave, many of which were huge. Giant-sized sandals and clothing that looked as though they were worn by giants were among the artifacts found. There have been reports of giant bones being discovered in other parts of the Western Nevada desert as well, including an 11-foot tall skeleton found in 1904 and an 8.5-foot skeleton reported in 1931.
According to the Paiute people, who have inhabited the Nevada desert for centuries, they once engaged in a battle with a race of red-haired giants known as the sai-duka’a. A woman named Sarah Winnemucca, who was a descendant of Chief Winnemucca of the Paiutes, wrote a book in the 1800s about her people’s battle with the giants. The Paiutes grew tired of being cannibalized by the giants and finally confronted them in a war that lasted for three years. The last of the giants took refuge in Lovelock Cave, where they were burned alive by the Paiutes. The evidence of extreme burning near the entrance to the cave supports this story.
The evidence in support of the Paiute story about the red-headed giants is compelling, with the skeletons, artifacts, and legends proving that this was a real story of giants in the area. The Paiutes believe this to be a historical truth and this has been a significant part of their historical beliefs and how they think about their own history. While some may dismiss the story as folklore, who’s to say that it didn’t happen? There were certainly ethnic conflicts and wars in the past, and people tend to remember these events. The mystery of Lovelock Cave and the giants of the Western Nevada desert remains a fascinating topic for those interested in the history and folklore of the Old West.
