Unexplained Phenomena
Weird Skulls – From Around the World
From remote caves to ancient burial sites, the world is a treasure trove of mysterious cranial remains that challenge our perceptions of history, evolution, and the unknown.
![Weird Skulls](https://www.imperidox.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Weird-Skulls-Display.jpg)
For centuries, perhaps even millennia, people have been finding weird skulls, and many discoveries have challenged the perception of human evolution. The relatively recent archaeological discovery of miniature human bones on the Indonesian Island of Flores has led to the establishment of a new, if contentious, species of human – Homo floresiensis. In South America, scientists have revealed many strange bones and elongated skulls, and in North America, a small foundation has been established to study the mysterious Starchild Skull.
As with any controversial topic, the subject matter of weird skulls attracts strong views from those who support the associated findings and those that dispute them. This page is an introduction to some of the artefacts and bones that have been revealed and some of the debate surrounding their authenticity.
THE WEIRD ANDOVER VAMPIRE SKULL
When it comes to reports of weird skulls, several reports of vampire skulls were unearthed, with the most recent taking place in Venice, Italy. During the first quarter of 2009, archaeologists excavated a mass burial pit on the island of Lazzaretto Nuovo when they unearthed a female skull with a slab of rock forced into her mouth. This was a typical burial for a suspected vampire and was supposed to prevent the creature from rising from the dead. The skull and associated bones were in keeping with normal human physiology and displayed no physical characteristics associated with the modern perception of vampires. However, a more intriguing story is that of the Andover Skull.
The information is sketchy, but the basis of the story is that at some time during the 1950s, a newly married couple, Mr F and Mrs B Morris, moved to Andover, Massachusetts, in the USA.
They were disappointed to discover the house they had purchased had not been fully emptied and that the attic remained stacked with books, broken furniture and other such possessions. A year or so after moving in, Mrs Morris finally decided to empty to attic and, in the process, found a heavy wooden box which had been nailed shut. That evening her husband opened the box with a claw hammer and together they discovered a significant and disturbing skull. It had huge eye sockets, and several pieces of the bone cranium were broken. There were strange carvings on the front left of the skull, but the most interesting part of the discovery were its canine teeth which were strangely elongated.
![](https://www.imperidox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/weird-andover-skull.jpg)
The Weird Andover Vampire Skull (C) Clint Pavenu 2009
Overall the skull was larger than an average human’s and had a distinctive domed forehead. Mr Morris glued the skull fragments together and apparently kept it in his study where he would show it to curious friends and visitors. After some months Mrs Morris became distressed by its presence and insisted that it be reburied as she had convinced herself that it was demonic or at least the skull of a powerful Indian medicine man. Instead, he allegedly took the skull to a nearby Museum of Archaeology which specialised in Native American history.
THE STARCHILD SKULL
Of all the weird skulls featured here, the “Starchild” is probably the most controversial one discovered if only because of its widespread publicity. In brief, the original skull, which is estimated to be 900 years old, was discovered by an American teenage girl near the Copper Canyon district of Sierra Tarahumara in the south west of Chihuahua State, Mexico. After her death in 1990 the skull came into the possession of El Paso residents, Ray and Melanie Young in 1998. They sought the advice of Mr. Lloyd Pye who is often described as a researcher into the alternative. Shortly afterwards he established the Starchild Project to better understand the skull.
There is no doubt that the skull is real. The bone is thinner than average and although it appears to belong to a four or five-year-old child the cranial capacity is 1600cc which is 200cc more than your average adult human. DNA testing has revealed that it has both the X and Y human chromosome which seems to indicate that it is human. However, proponents of alternate theories suggest that it could be the child of a human-alien hybrid itself. According to the Starchild Project they refute that the DNA from both parents was easily identified and suggest that the father’s DNA was something other than ordinary.
![Weird Skulls - The Starchild](https://www.imperidox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/starchild-skull-weird.jpg)
The Strange Starchild Skull
Two distinct schools of thought regarding the specimen have emerged. One group see it as evidence of various theories ranging from alien-human hybrids to proof of an alternative evolution. The other group believe that the skull is nothing more than a natural deformity possibly caused by brachycephaly, Crouzon syndrome or some other natural genetic mutation. Both groups’ present compelling evidence and it is definitely worth understanding both sides of the story before making up your own mind.
THE PERUVIAN COLLAGUA SKULL
The harsh fact is that the human brain and skull has increased faster in size than the female pelvis. Incredibly fast! Put simply, the average human baby’s head is now too big and requires extreme physical contortion and rotation to achieve a natural birth. (Of all the facts that we present you on the Aquiziam website – this is the one that is the most important. Evolution does not usually make this kind of mistake. Currently one in three children born in Canada and the United States is delivered via Caesarean section. How could this have happened?)
![Peruvian Collagua Skull](https://www.imperidox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Peruvian-Collagua-Skull.jpg)
Peruvian Collagua Skull (WMC) CC
Giving birth is an extremely painful episode for most women and is almost unique to humans. Most other creatures on this planet do not seem to experience the same degree of discomfort. This is an extremely important clue to the origin of our species that is embarrassingly overlooked by most of the scientists that study evolution. Still, as a result, life has ensured that foetal skulls are soft and pliable to allow them to pass through the bony ring of the pelvis and the vaginal canal. It is not uncommon for children to be born with cone shaped heads that quite quickly readjust to the appropriate shape.
However, in many ancient cultures it became the practice to bind the infant’s head with cloths and wooden slats for a period of between six months to one year to create a shape that was socially acceptable and tribally recognisable. In a sense it was a primitive ID card that said you belonged to the “pick-your-name” tribe for now and forever. This practice resulted in a wide variety of misshapen cranial structures and weird skulls that still baffle modern science particularly as in some cases the volume of the brain-chamber has also been increased.
This practice may have also stimulated some unforeseen side-effects. By changing the geometry of the skull it may have been possible to change the functioning of the brain. Today it would be considered extreme to carry out this practice and as a result it is almost never done. We cannot tell what psychological changes it might have created. Did it increase intelligence? Did it stimulate paranormal abilities? Did it emulate an entity that was perceived as a God? There must have been some benefit, or it would not have been carried out in the first place.
Archaeologists have discovered many dozens of elongated skulls from both Egypt and South America. Interestingly, these regions both had a fascination with the construction of pyramids, the stars, calendars, mummification and death. Both societies also had complex agricultural secrets and a powerful priesthood. We don’t know what this means and are reluctant to add yet another theory, but it should make you stop and think – if only for a moment.
HORNED SKULL OF CHINA
There are numerous accounts of human beings with horns. Unfortunately, many of them are poorly documented and even worse, the possession of the artefacts has been mismanaged to the extent that the records become very questionable. Still, there is definitively a powerful socio-genetic memory of human-like creatures with horns and they are usually depicted as evil or at the very least, powerful and destructive. Satan is the most obvious example but many demons, giants, biblical creatures, shamans, witch doctors, the Minotaur and (possibly) mythical creatures such as dragons all had horns. The unicorn is the exception … although it is also said to have a fascination with young virgins which is a bit odd when you think about it. The main source of the belief in real horned skulls comes from an entry in the book, Mysteries of the Unexplained published by Readers Digest in the 1990’s. The section refers to the discovery of a number of skulls that clearly had horns projecting above their eyebrows. Basically, the skulls were supposed to have been found by reputable people in a burial mound in Sayre, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, in 1880. Unfortunately, the original story was exaggerated by the press who confused a statement about individuals that had been buried with deer horns. It was 1916 after all.
The story re-emerged on the internet as early as 1996 and has been the mainstay of the horned-skull belief for well over a decade. There are also many references on the internet to a horned-skull on display in the London Museum. Well … we went there and looked for it and couldn’t find it. Maybe it’s in a secret room.
![Strange and Weird Horned Skull](https://www.imperidox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/weird-skull-horn.jpg)
Strange and Weird Horned Skull (C) Clint Pavenu 2008
It’s also worth noting that “freak shows were once a popular form of entertainment and unfortunate people with rare skull deformities (such as The Elephant Man) were displayed to the general public. Unscrupulous carnival owners would have amazing artefacts manufactured and horned skulls were popular.
If you sift through the internet you will find quite a few pictures and descriptions of people with horns. Unfortunately, it is very hard to know if they too are real or not. We’ve included this section on weird skulls with horns not because there is significant proof of their existence but because so many people truly seem to believe that they have existed at some point in the past.
GIANT SKULLS OF SAUDI ARABIA
Over the years archaeologists and explorers have discovered many unusually large and weird skulls that have intrigued scientists from around the world. These giants may have simply been human anomalies or may represent a branch of anthropology that remains a mystery. It is worth noting that there are various medical conditions that can cause “Giantism” or more correctly, Gigantism. Pituitary Gigantism is the most common and is caused when the when an excess of growth hormone is released during puberty. However, skulls from people afflicted with this condition tend to display characteristics that can fairly easily identify this as the cause. Some of the giant skulls discovered are also simply explained as being those of the Neanderthal species of human beings (Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis) that became extinct approximately 15,000 years ago. Still, there are other weird skulls that defy such simple analysis. Two cases stand out and are worth mentioning even though one may well be a hoax. The first is the Lovelock cave find. In 1911 a team of guano miners, who where excavating the cave, began to unearth various Native American bones and remains. Archaeological teams were brought in and over the next 15 years various mummies and skeletal remains were discovered.
![Skull of a Giant](https://www.imperidox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/strange-skull-giant.jpg)
Weird Skulls: The Skull of a Giant (CC)
From various bones, and particularly the femurs, it was concluded that the average height of the buried skeletons was ten feet tall. Many of the bones were sent to scientists and educational institutions and over the course of time have become lost. However, some of the finds, including a giant skull, can still be viewed at the Humboldt Museum in Winnemucca in the state of Nevada.
The second case refers to the discovery of a truly giant skeleton by an oil exploration team in Saudi Arabia in 2002. Apparently, this being was 25ft tall and had a skull that was nearly 5ft in length. According to internet rumour the find was hushed-up by the Saudi authorities who immediately distributed fake photos through a Photoshop competition that created such confusion that nobody really has any idea whether this was a real occurrence or a hoax. However, it is important to note that Bedouin legend does make reference to such a race naming them as being of the Aad or Hood nation. (If you’re interested in finding out more about this skull and skeleton simply Google “Saudi Arabia Giant Skeleton” and decide for yourself.)
Legends of giants are common in almost every part of the world. They range from those of merely tall people to truly gigantic beings that can move mountains. (Shrewsbury Giant) This is clearly a shared belief-memory that deserves more investigation. At the time of writing the tallest, scientifically recorded, man was Robert Pershing Wadlow who was 9ft 11in. His skull was 36% larger than that of his father. Another recent giant was Anna Haining Bates who reached 7.5ft in height and had a cranial capacity 22% larger than her father. Records indicate that she was extremely intelligent.
THE ELEPHANT MAN – Joseph Merrick
![Elephant Man's Skull](https://www.imperidox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Elephant-Mans-Skull.jpg)
Elephant Man’s Skull – Photograph of Replica
The intrigue surrounding the Elephant Man’s skull lies in its captivating testament to the fragility and resilience of the human condition. This anatomical relic, once encasing the extraordinary figure of Joseph Merrick, offers a profound glimpse into the intersection of physical anomaly and the indomitable spirit. Beyond its haunting exterior, the skull’s irregular contours narrate a story of perseverance against societal prejudices and medical limitations. Merrick’s skull stands as a tangible connection to a life marked by both isolation and fascination, serving as a tangible reminder of the complexities of compassion, empathy, and the unyielding pursuit of understanding the enigmatic beauty that can emerge from the most unexpected corners of humanity.
THE BOLSHOI TJACH SKULLS
![Weird Skulls - Bolshoi Tjach Skull](https://www.imperidox.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Bolshoi-Tjach-Skull.jpg)
Bolshoi Tjach Skull (C) Vladimir Malikov
Vladimir Malikov said that a few years ago, cavers had found two unusual skulls in a cave on the mountain Bolshoi Tjach (Большой Тхач), which is about 50 miles southeast of Kamennomostsky — the village that many tourists go through to go into the Caucasian mountains. One of the two skulls is very unusual. Malikov says that the presence of the hole at the bottom of the skull, where the spine attaches, proves that this creature was walking upright on two legs. It is also very unusual that the skull does not have a cranial vault like humans. It also has no jaws. The whole head is one fixed bony enclosure. The large eye sockets arches back, and then we have horn-like extensions. Aside from this basic information and some pictures taken by people who visited the museum, there are no additional details about these two very weird skulls. However, Vladimir Malikov has let visitors take pictures of the skulls from all angles, and they are pretty convincing that these are real skulls.