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Giant bones and giants' bodies: Collection ecologies, 1500-1700.

Anita Guerrini1

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Summary
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European scholars debated the existence of giants from the 16th to 17th centuries. Discoveries of large fossilized bones fueled these debates, influencing how giants were perceived and displayed in society.

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Area of Science:

  • History of Science
  • Paleontology
  • Cultural Studies

Background:

  • Learned European men engaged in debates regarding the existence of giants between the early 16th and late 17th centuries.
  • The discovery and public display of large fossilized bones and teeth, attributed to giants, influenced contemporary beliefs.
  • Humanist historical accounts supported the notion of giant humans existing since pre-classical antiquity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the historical debates surrounding the existence and interpretation of giants in Europe.
  • To examine the role of fossil discoveries and their display in shaping beliefs about giants.
  • To understand how changing interpretations of giants affected their public and private exhibition.

Main Methods:

  • Historical analysis of texts and records from the 16th and 17th centuries.
  • Examination of the contexts and symbols associated with the display of giant remains.
  • Tracing the evolution of scientific and cultural interpretations of giant evidence.

Main Results:

  • Fossil discoveries and their exhibition in public and private spaces initially supported the belief in the existence of giants.
  • The display of these remains, often integrated with religious and civic symbols, lent credibility to their identification as giants.
  • Seventeenth-century shifts in interpretation led to reciprocal changes in the display ecology, highlighting the instability of these categories.

Conclusions:

  • The interpretation and display of giant remains were dynamic processes, reflecting evolving scientific and cultural paradigms.
  • Public and private exhibition practices played a crucial role in legitimizing or challenging beliefs about giants.
  • The historical study of giants reveals the contingent nature of knowledge construction and the influence of context on interpretation.