tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post6525954634557752875..comments2024-03-22T21:58:18.933+00:00Comments on ShukerNature: A GIANT MYSTERY!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15628598508836601012noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-58641080993086884782011-03-31T16:28:33.231+01:002011-03-31T16:28:33.231+01:00I would check with the Guildhall in London. They l...I would check with the Guildhall in London. They look to be pictures of the helmets of Gog and Magog, defenders of London. The processional giants were destroyed in WWII. I believe that one had a rooster on his helm, the other a dragon. This is what your postcard seems to show. Good Luck.<br />http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/Corporation/LGNL_Services/Leisure_and_culture/Local_history_and_heritage/Buildings_within_the_City/guildhall.htmAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-84691825054631276542010-12-11T00:40:44.315+00:002010-12-11T00:40:44.315+00:00I think Glen is right; I'll bet these are from...I think Glen is right; I'll bet these are from the annual "ducasse" in Ath, or some other local procession of giants. David and Goliath are popular figures in the tradition, so maybe at least one of these is Goliath's helmet. The tradition goes back centuries; there's even a "maison des géants" in Ath devoted to its history.Doug Skinnerhttp://www.ullagegroup.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-12921762801141665392010-12-08T00:43:34.828+00:002010-12-08T00:43:34.828+00:00Hi Glen, Thanks very much for this suggestion and ...Hi Glen, Thanks very much for this suggestion and info, which I'll definitely look into. The current issue of Fortean Times has a lengthy letter by me, accompanied by an image of the postcard, re these helmets, so that may generate some ideas and info too. All the best, KarlDr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-88316528643051471992010-12-07T17:35:48.582+00:002010-12-07T17:35:48.582+00:00Here's the direct link to the postcard:
http:/...Here's the direct link to the postcard:<br />http://ansichtskarten.delcampe.be/item.php?id=102097142&var=ON-40-Bruxelles-Vue-sur-Casques-des-Geants&language=G&sessionToken=sslLogin_79c9153129dc10ec6714ba1e68bf3003<br />I've looked at every site I can find for processional giants in north France and Belgium but haven't found any other pictures of the same helmets. Maybe they were from a town which was destroyed in one of the warsGlen Robinsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-3889132015655106982010-12-05T20:32:42.083+00:002010-12-05T20:32:42.083+00:00Further to the info I gave about Brussels, I have ...Further to the info I gave about Brussels, I have been doing some more searching, and I wonder if these may be from a "Procession of the Giants" parade.<br />Have a look at http://www.opt.be/informations/events_ath__gouyasse_vespers___procession_of_the_giants__fair____ducasse_of_ath/en/E/19462.html<br />The helmet on the giant shown looks like it would be roughly the right size, but the ones in the postcard image are much more elaborate.Glen Robinsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-25060360174366735262010-12-04T21:28:38.152+00:002010-12-04T21:28:38.152+00:00Actually, having another look at the picture on th...Actually, having another look at the picture on the link I gave, it has a perforated edge to the image, and all the other images on the website with this same perforation and format are listed as from the Musées royaux du Cinquantenaire à Bruxelles, or Jubilee Park Museum. Maybe worth contacting them to see if they have any further information?Glen Robinsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-85170150705616346912010-12-04T21:09:44.898+00:002010-12-04T21:09:44.898+00:00Just seen this in the latest Fortean Times, and th...Just seen this in the latest Fortean Times, and thought I'd put on my detecting hat and have a look. After a bit of lateral Googling, I've narrowed this down to a town at least. This is, or was, in a museum in Brussels, possibly the Musée Royal de l'Armée. <br />If you do a Google search using the French term "casques des géants" there is a link to this exact same postcard image (its the link that starts with "Ansichtskarten > Europa > Belgien > Brüssel > Museen"), but only if you use the cached page link. I think the postcard must have been sold. <br />I don't know if this shrunken link works but you could try http://twe.ly/LymGlen Robinsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-49990079476485482292010-07-23T18:01:37.171+01:002010-07-23T18:01:37.171+01:00Since the postcard photo setting is presumably a m...Since the postcard photo setting is presumably a museum(possibly near the Franco-German border?), surely a curator may be able to identify which it maybe. If pre-WWII the building and helmets may sadly no longer exist. A Google search shows references to "helmets of the gods" which were hellenistic sculptures recovered from restoration work on the Siphnian Treasury at Delphi. These are likely to be classical greek sculptural examples that were obtained by a museum. Wonder if they're still with us?CenturySonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04203804597711166367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-44789782035607190812010-06-25T02:06:57.426+01:002010-06-25T02:06:57.426+01:00There is a famous picture circulating with a soldi...There is a famous picture circulating with a soldier holding a GIANT Turban beside what looks to be a humongous Iron Coffin. People shouldn't be so quick to exclude Giant Humans from the equation. There is proof of Giant Humans existing. But people like to relegate that kind of thing to myth and fantasy. Even when the archaeological facts support it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-84595028936297784732010-06-22T02:50:00.453+01:002010-06-22T02:50:00.453+01:00Perhaps you might post this to theater groups? The...Perhaps you might post this to theater groups? The late 19th and early 20th centuries often had over-the-top "orientalist" or historic dramas in which these would have been right at home on the stage set.<br /><br />The banner to the far left could be part of the collection of theater props if it was part of some processional scene. The spears in the left background could also be part of the props collection.<br /><br />One of the helmets looks like it's an eagle, the emblem of Rome, and the other suggests an elephant, symbolic of Hannibal?Annnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-52837977623200500332010-06-18T01:50:43.092+01:002010-06-18T01:50:43.092+01:00helmets for elephants?helmets for elephants?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-64842939305425626132010-06-17T18:34:15.442+01:002010-06-17T18:34:15.442+01:00I would say, from the size of the tables they are ...I would say, from the size of the tables they are sitting upon, as well as the post on which they are perched, that either the helmets are made of light-weight materials or we are seeing an early example of "photoshopping," i.e., some form of superimposition.scottcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-24114370436384825042010-06-16T20:32:32.213+01:002010-06-16T20:32:32.213+01:00Hi Lars, This sounds very promising - I didn't...Hi Lars, This sounds very promising - I didn't know about that re Alexander the Great. I'll look into this.<br />Re getting a sharper view of the picture in the background: I'll try to obtain a high-res scan of just that portion of the postcard picture and see if it shows any additional detail. If it does, I'll post it here.<br /><br />All the best,<br /><br />KarlDr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-38924478591883305552010-06-16T08:28:24.308+01:002010-06-16T08:28:24.308+01:00is it possible to get a sharper view of the pictur...is it possible to get a sharper view of the picture in the background? there should be a possibility to identify the style/period etc.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-7515276631418400622010-06-15T23:14:04.328+01:002010-06-15T23:14:04.328+01:00Hi Tony, Yes, I also immediately thought 'Fren...Hi Tony, Yes, I also immediately thought 'French' when I saw the picture. Interestingly, the trilingual caption lists the French version first, then the German, then the English, thereby indicating a possible French origin for the postcard. Well-spotted re the fire sprinkler! I hadn't noticed that.<br />Hi Rich, Interesting idea! The size of the helmets is such that if they are genuine historical metal helmets, they would weigh an immense amount, and surely would be very famous, yet I've never seen anything about them anywhere. So perhaps they are indeed stage/theatre or early film props, or even possibly carnival/masquerade exhibits? Would be interesting to know for sure, though, and the same re their location.Dr Karl Shukerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222845702628862829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-66108041595314296872010-06-15T22:35:58.786+01:002010-06-15T22:35:58.786+01:00Legend has it, that Alexander the Great always lef...Legend has it, that Alexander the Great always left giant helmets and weapons behind, when he had conquered somebody, to scare everybody else who would be passing by. I seem to remember reading somewhere, that some early museums exhibited some of these giant Alexandrian helmets.<br /><br />Lars ThomasLars Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00415256626457393784noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-90740218780134713482010-06-15T13:43:41.230+01:002010-06-15T13:43:41.230+01:00Could it be somethig to do with Horace Warpole'...Could it be somethig to do with Horace Warpole's book The Catle of Otranto in which prince Conrad is killed by a giant helmet that falls from the sky.<br />http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/696Richard Freemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17142154646917043849noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3739684561063978507.post-2457940737934461612010-06-15T09:41:25.653+01:002010-06-15T09:41:25.653+01:00The background armor looks French in origin as doe...The background armor looks French in origin as does the display at the rear I would try somewhere like the museum in Paris.<br />I note the fire sprinkler on the roof so it will probably be early 20th Century.Tony Lucashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11620969814980910961noreply@blogger.com