Many tales and legends mention giants. It is worth considering whether they truly existed or are simply a product of human imagination. The numerous references to ancient strongmen lead us to ponder the possibility that these stories may stem from a single historical source that remains unknown to us. Giants appear in nearly all cultures and religions across the world.1
Giants in the Bible
Giants are mentioned, for example, in the sixth chapter of the Book of Genesis, where it is written: ‘When men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose.’ It continues: ‘There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.’2 These unions resulted in offspring referred to in the Bible as the Nephilim, a term derived from the Hebrew word meaning ‘fallen ones’.3
It is commonly believed that these passages refer to giants. This interpretation is not, however, universally accepted. Some argue that the term ‘sons of God’ refers to the descendants of Seth, while ‘daughters of humans’ refers to the descendants of Cain. Additionally, the term Nephilim does not carry an etymological meaning that suggests it refers to people much larger or stronger than those living today. On the other hand, the Bible does mention Goliath, and it cannot be ruled out that fallen angels may have played a role in this context.
Giants in other traditions
Furthermore, mentions of giants can also be found in the sacred texts of various ancient tribes. These stories describe a time when humans ‘reached the heavens in stature’. The atmosphere and climate were said to be very different then. In myths and legends about giants, many shared motifs emerge. They were born from unions with women, with celestial beings contributing to their creation. Giants became a curse and a source of destruction for humanity.4
Historical sources from various parts of the world offer different descriptions of these mysterious beings who are said to have come from the heavens, waters, and other dimensions. Some were said to resemble humans or humanoid forms previously unknown on Earth. In Sanskrit texts, they were called devas, meaning ‘beings from heaven or paradise.’5 Despite this, giants in myths and legends are often portrayed as cruel and malevolent beings. They tormented humans, stole from them, and consumed their crops.
The Book of Enoch and Kebra Nagast
The Book of Enoch, which was not included in the canon of the Holy Bible, provides a detailed account of the fall of angels who became corrupt after uniting with earthly women. They also revealed heavenly secrets to the women, contributing to the rise of lawlessness on Earth. Among other things, they taught women spells and occult practices.
This account is also found in the Kebra Nagast (The Glory of the Kings of Abyssinia), which states that the daughters of Cain cohabited with angels and conceived by them. Many women died in childbirth, along with their unborn children. Those who survived often tore their mothers’ wombs apart, and as they grew, they became giants.6
The Apocalypse of Baruch
An intriguing legend about giants originates from ancient Syria and is found in a manuscript known as the Apocalypse of Baruch or the Second Book of Baruch. The text was written around 100 AD, though fragments have been preserved in Syriac copies dating from the sixth century.
According to the Apocalypse of Baruch, the first humans on Earth were giants, possessing exceptional physical, intellectual, and artistic abilities. However, due to their profound moral decline, they were ultimately removed by God. Other accounts from this region suggest that people of that time lived significantly longer, in some cases for hundreds of years.7
Other ancient reports about giants
Myths about giants are not confined to the Middle East. The Kai tribe of Papua New Guinea tells of a race of giants called the Ne-Mu. These beings were extremely tall and possessed great strength, living in the world before the Great Flood. They are said to have taught the Kai ancestors agriculture and construction.
Ancient Chinese accounts describe people who were once so tall they could see over the trees. They lived in a land of happiness until they stopped following the commandments given to them by God.
Legends from Greenland and the Arctic also mention giants, including beings known as the Tunil. Other accounts describe tribes of giants who lived in ice-covered regions.
The Kotoko tribe of Chad in Africa tells of black giants with straight hair who once lived there and were their ancestors. Aboriginal legends, meanwhile, speak of a city called Burrunga, once inhabited by giants with fair skin and red hair.
Arabic legends speak of giants called the Adites, known for their skill in construction and architecture. According to these traditions, they built many of the great structures in the Middle East.
In Europe, most accounts of giants, titans, and heroes come from ancient Greece. The earliest mention of the Titans appears in Theogony, a work by Hesiod dating from around 700–665 BC.8
Who were the giants?
Scholars who have studied giants through the Bible, ancient chronicles, and other sources argue that these accounts originate from a single historical event. Another argument for the existence of giants is the construction of monumental structures, often credited to ancient heroes. According to various accounts, giants played a major role in the development of civilisation.9
Thus, these improbable legends and myths about giants contain traces of authentic knowledge about ancient civilisations, though over time, they have been distorted and blended with local folklore.10 The question remains: what truth lies within these stories?
By the way, we recommend reading the articles:
- Was Jesus Christ a Historical Figure?
- Is World War III Imminent? Part 1: History, the Present, and Future Predictions
- Is World War III Imminent? Part 2: Great Hope in the Face of Destruction
- Ants: Complex Creatures
- Consciousness – A Mystery for Science, A Gift for Humanity
Footnotes
- Wikipedia, Giant. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant.
- The Bible, New King James Version, 1982, Genesis 6:1–4.
- Porter, J. R., 2003. Zaginiona Biblia: Księgi, które nie weszły do kanonu. Świat Książki.
- Sroka, A., 2014. Giganci i anioły upadłe. Zakazane fakty. Psychoskok, Konin.
- Chouinard, P., 2017. Zaginiona rasa gigantów. Amber, Warsaw.
- Żyra, P., 2011. Kebra Nagast. Chwała królów. Wydawnictwo Armoryka, Sandomierz.
- Gray, J., 2013. Zaginiony świat gigantów. Psychoskok, Konin.
- Hesiod, 1999. Narodziny bogów. Prószyński i S-ka, Warsaw.
- Hancock, G., 1997. Ślady palców bogów. Amber, Warsaw.
- Sroka, A., op. cit.
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