Tioga Point Skeletons

The Tioga Point Skeletons were human remains uncovered at Tioga Point near Sayre, Pennsylvania in a burial mound site that was excavated during 1916 as part of the Susquehanna Archaeological Expedition, discoveries which were subsequently reported in several newspapers as being giant skeletons with an average height of some 7 feet (2.13 m.), including one or more that allegedly had horns protruding from their foreheads. This news coverage, however, seems to have been partially exaggerated: the horned skull was actually found to have been a burial bundle that was completely covered with antlers of Virginia deer; and, while the heights of several skeletons were estimated to have been above 6 ft. 6 in. (1.98 m.), the average height of the skeletons was not 7 feet.[M]

Reports of the Susquehanna Archaeological Expedition (1918)

 * &mdash; "While the writer was present one of the men in working a grave exclaimed, 'There are horns over his head!' Mr. Skinner said that indicated chieftainship. Later this was found to be a bundle burial, completely covered with antlers of Virginia deer. A passing visitor, however, heard the exclamation and attempted to verify it by interrogating a fun-loving Maine workman, and the story grew and was printed from coast to coast that one or more skulls had been found with horns growing from the forehead!"
 * &mdash; "While the writer was present one of the men in working a grave exclaimed, 'There are horns over his head!' Mr. Skinner said that indicated chieftainship. Later this was found to be a bundle burial, completely covered with antlers of Virginia deer. A passing visitor, however, heard the exclamation and attempted to verify it by interrogating a fun-loving Maine workman, and the story grew and was printed from coast to coast that one or more skulls had been found with horns growing from the forehead!"