Fact Check: No, a 2-Headed Giant Skeleton Wasn't Discovered in Amazon Rainforest
Claim:
A skeleton of a two-headed giant was discovered during a “routine” archaeological excavation in the Amazon rainforest.
Rating:
On Nov. 26, 2024, a Facebook user posted a story (archived) about a "shocking discovery" that was allegedly made in the Amazon rainforest — the skeleton of a two-headed giant.
The user said scientists uncovered the remains "during a routine excavation aimed at uncovering remnants of ancient indigenous tribes." The Facebook post continued:
The skeleton, measuring nearly 15 feet tall, had an intricate bone structure with two skulls connected to an expansive ribcage and spine. The discovery site became an immediate focus for archaeologists and anthropologists from around the world, who rushed to the Amazon to witness the skeleton of what is now believed to be the remains of a two-headed giant.
[...]
"We've never seen anything like this," said Dr. Elena Santos, the lead archaeologist on the excavation team. "This find challenges everything we thought we knew about human evolution. The fact that the skeleton has two heads and a body structure so massive is beyond explanation using current scientific understanding."
[...]
News of the two-headed giant discovery has sparked intense curiosity and speculation worldwide.
Accompanying the post was a side-by-side comparison of two images. The one on the left shows a historical depiction of a man with two heads, while the one on the right shows a large skeleton in the center of an excavation site, alongside people standing in white coats.
The Facebook user did not claim that either of the images showed the two-headed giant's skeleton in question.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122205675536209352&set=a.122103826058209352
However, no such discovery has ever been made in the Amazon rainforest, which is why we have rated this claim as false.
Briana Pobiner, a paleoanthropologist at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, said via email that "no such discovery has been found in the Amazon, and that there has never been a 15-foot human skeleton found anywhere in the world."
The Facebook user provided no information to substantiate the supposed discovery, such as the university or institutional affiliations responsible for the alleged find. They also did not note where the "excavation" took place, and they provided no links to research projects or papers published on official websites, in scientific journals or by legitimate archaeological groups.
If such a discovery had occurred, it would have been a major international news story. However, there was no evidence of it taking place. Likewise, a search of the Google News index of thousands of reliable media reports returned no relevant sources for the so-called find.
Furthermore, a Google search produced no credible evidence of anyone called Dr. Elena Santos, who was supposedly authentically quoted in the Facebook post, discussing giants.
The image on the right of the post is a product of artificial intelligence (AI) generation, as it shows elements that would not have been seen at an archaeological excavation. For one, preserved skeletal remains would not have been found or excavated sitting up. Secondly, archaeologists excavating the site would likely not have been wearing medical uniforms that are usually worn by doctors.
The True Media AI-detection tool found that the images showed "substantial evidence of manipulation," writing:
The image shows an unrealistic depiction of a giant two-headed skeleton being excavated, which is a common theme in digitally altered or fictional images. The historical image of a two-headed figure also adds to the mythological or fictional context. This combination of elements and the unrealistic nature of such a discovery strongly indicate that the image is fake.
Hive Moderation, another online AI-detection tool, found the image on the right is 99.4% "likely to contain AI-generated or deepfake content."
Furthermore, a reverse image search of the image on the left revealed that it had been in online circulation since at least 2007. It did not originate as a depiction of the supposed skeletal remains, as implied in the Facebook post. The paranormal publication Fortean Times referred to the subject of the left image as "Kap Dwa," a "two-headed Patagonian giant" said to have been brought to England in the 19th century. British newspaper the Lancashire Post also reported on the mythical creature in March 2019 (archived). The publication said the story was "making the headlines back in 1972."
History Studios, the Facebook account that posted the story, is a self-described "Digital creator." Many of their posts include other photographs said to depict things without providing further evidence, such as a "Giant computer mouse buried for 3,000 years in Goliath's tomb" and a "Half-Human, Half-Horse Skeleton Unearthed in Greece."
Snopes has investigated many online rumors, posts and images said to involve the supposed discoveries of giants. Some of these include:
A photo said to show the "Nephilim Giant" under the government's watch
Purported photographs of a "massive ancient grave" of giants found in South Africa
A series of images supposedly showing the skeletal remains of the biblical giant Goliath
Sources:
Briana Pobiner | The Smithsonian Institution's Human Origins Program. 2 Dec. 2024, https://humanorigins.si.edu/about/human-origins-program-team/briana-pobiner.
Dapcevich, Madison. "Authentic Pics of 'Massive Ancient Grave of Giants' in South Africa?" Snopes, 20 Oct. 2024, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/giants-south-africa-graves/.
Evon, Dan. "FACT CHECK: Is This 'Goliath Skeleton' Real?" Snopes, 6 Feb. 2018, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/is-this-goliath-skeleton-real/.
---. "FACT CHECK: Is This 'Goliath Skeleton' Real?" Snopes, 6 Feb. 2018, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/is-this-goliath-skeleton-real/.
Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=122207471840209352&set=pb.61556280575029.-2207520000&type=3. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
"Google News." Google News, 15 Oct. 2024, https://news.google.com.
"Kap-Dwa." Cryptid Wiki, https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Kap-Dwa. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
The Two-Headed Giant | Misc | Strange Days | Fortean Times UK. 17 July 2007, https://web.archive.org/web/20070717010949/http://www.forteantimes.com/strangedays/misc/74/the_twoheaded_giant.html.
