The Cardiff Giant
On October 16, 1869, workers in Cardiff, New York, unearthed what appeared to be the body of an ancient 10-foot-tall petrified man. Over the next several months, people flocked to catch a glimpse of the so-called “Cardiff Giant,” and many hailed it as one of the most significant archeological discoveries of the 19th century. The giant was eventually exposed as an elaborate fraud perpetrated by a cigar manufacturer named George Hull, but not before it had hoodwinked many prominent scientists, drawn legions of curiosity seekers and inspired imitations from the likes of P.T. Barnum. (x)
mmm fortean history