The RELICT HOMINOID INQUIRY 1:23-50 (2012) Essay HISTORICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF RELICT HOMINOIDS Dmitri Bayanov* International Center of Hominology, Moscow 121614, Russia ABSTRACT. Hominology is the study of evidence for the existence of wild bipedal primates, presumed to be relict hominoids or hominids. Investigation of the subject began simultaneously in Russia and America last century, beginning with the Himalayan expeditions in search of the yeti. The first international scientific organization that united academic and non-academic investigators was formed and functioned in Italy in the 1960s. Its Russian member was Dr. Boris Porshnev, founder of Russian hominology, whose unorthodox views regarding the origin of man and the nature of hominids are pointed out. Hominology is based on six main categories of evidence, of which two, pertaining to the historical aspect of the subject, are discussed in detail in this essay. They are the evidence of natural history, from Lucretius to Linnaeus, and the evidence of myth and folklore, from Babylonian mythos to folk proverbs and sayings in use today. The reinforcement of early natural historians’ descriptions by cultural literary traditions attests to the acceptance of wildmen, a.k.a demons, devils, goblins, as hair-covered creatures in human form. In the author’s view, present data testify that hominology deals with evidence of living pre-sapiens relict hominoids. KEYWORDS: hominology, homin, wildmen, folklore INTRODUCTION anthropological, pertaining to the origin and position of man (Fig. 1). His theory of man’s Systematic hominology in Russia and North origin was different from that of mainstream America has many similarities and certain anthropologists, and he held that the evidence differences. On both continents it began in the for the existence of wild bipedal primates middle of last century, stimulated by the perfectly matched and supported his theory. Himalayan expeditions in search of the yeti. The theory’s thesis being that speech and its The founders of the research were Bernard morphological and neurological correlates are Heuvelmans, Ivan Sanderson and Boris the species-specific characteristics of Homo Porshnev. They agreed on one thing – that sapiens. He maintained that all pre-sapiens wild hairy bipeds are real. However, they bipedal primates, including Neanderthals, disagreed on almost everything else. were devoid of the faculty of speech, and Heuvelmans and Sanderson were zoologists; therefore belonged to the animal kingdom. In Porshnev was a historian and philosopher this connection he proposed to change the versed in many scientific disciplines. For term for the family Hominidae to Heuvelmans and Sanderson the problem was Troglodytidae, and he believed that the extant zoological; for Porshnev it was above all wild hairy bipeds, reported today, were relicts *Correspondence to: Dmitri Bayanov. International Center of Hominology, Crypto-logos, 15, Mojaiskoe, Moscow 121471, Russia. email: [email protected]. © RHI DMITRI BAYANOV 24 of Neanderthals, who stopped making and connection with the California Bigfoot,” by using stone tools and fire (or lost these skills Peter Byrne, “Hairy primitives or relic submen to a significant degree) due to a greatly in South America,” and “Preliminary changed environment, dominated by Homo Description of the External Morphology of sapiens. It should be noted that recent review What Appeared to be the Fresh Corpse of a of archeological evidence raises questions of Hitherto Unknown Form of Living Hominid,” whether Neanderthals were habitual fire-users (so-called Minnesota Iceman – D.B.) by Ivan during the Mousterian, and indicates that it T. Sanderson, as well as a number of articles may be possible that fire use was not a in French, Italian, and Spanish, contributed by significant component of the Neanderthals’ among others Porshnev, Gini, and adaptation to their local environments Heuvelmans. The organization ceased to (Sandgathe, et al., 2011). The origin of Homo function after the death in 1965 of its creator. sapiens is thus viewed as tantamount to the Had it continued to exist, I am sure our origin of speech (Porshnev, 1974; Bayanov situation today would be quite different, for and Bourtsev, 1974, 1976). the committee included prominent academics, Porshnev, Sanderson, and Heuvelmans who provided a vital link with mainstream were good friends and members of The science. After a break of forty-five years this International Committee for the Study of favorable condition is being revived and re- Hairy Humanoids (the name owes its origin to established anew with the creation of The Heuvelmans), an organization created in Relict Hominoid Inquiry. Rome in 1962, by Dr. Corrado Gini, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at Rome University. HOMINOLOGY Opening the committee, Dr. Gini said, in full agreement with Boris Porshnev, "The Boris Porshnev envisaged our research as a Snowman and other hairy bipeds present a new and distinct discipline, which I named subject worthy of a profound scientific study. “hominology.” Not surprisingly, terminology (...) This is a subject of the greatest for the objects of hominology proved a importance for understanding the origin of protracted problem. Porshnev used the term man and the initial stages of human society." relict hominoid, actually implying relict (Genus, 1962). hominid in the classification generally The committee included some 30 persons accepted at the time. I have used both terms from different countries, among them Dr. interchangeably, always implying “hominid.” George Agogino, Dr. Raymond A. Dart, Dr. For the sake of convenience, by way of John Napier, Dr. W.C. Osman Hill, Dr. P.R. “professional” jargon, I have also been using a Rinchen, Prof. Philip. V. Tobias, as well as contraction homin, as a substitute for yeti investigator Ralph Izzard, yeti and hominoid, hominid, wild bipedal primate, Bigfoot investigators Tom Slick and Peter wildman, yeti, almasty, sasquatch, and the rest Byrne, sasquatch investigators John Green, of ethnic names for the creatures under study. Bob Titmus, Rene Dahinden. This term also serves to avoid the current state The journal Genus (not peer-reviewed), of transition in the substitution of hominin for published by Gini, printed many articles by hominid in the technical literature, in the committee members, e.g. “Almas still accordance with the current cladistic approach exists in Mongolia,” by P.R. Rintchen; to taxonomy. “Report on a sample of skin and hair from the Hominology’s database consists of the Khumjung Yeti scalp,” by M. Burns, “Being following main categories: some notes in brief on the general findings in 1. natural history HOMINOLOGY 25 2. folklore and mythology were different from humans. Among the 3. ancient and medieval art emphasized characteristics of troglodytes were 4. eyewitness testimony the creatures' great speed in running, lack of 5. footprint evidence intelligible speech, and strange vocalization 6. photographic evidence. (Pliny, 1979: 5, 8). Popular names in the Greco-Roman world In this essay I will limit my treatment to the for these creatures were satyr, silenus, faun, first two areas of the historical aspects of pan (Fig. 2). Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder hominology in the Old World, using as (1st century A.D.) says in his Natural History illustrations samples of ancient and medieval that "the Satyrs have nothing of ordinary art from the third category. Today, a humanity about them except human shape.” corresponding collection includes scores of (Pliny, 1979). hominid images (pictures, sculptures, Geographer Pausanias (2nd century A.D.), petroglyphs) from across the world. It presents in his Description of Greece, says “That the two kinds of portrayal: realistic and Silenuses are a mortal race may be inferred “ritualistic,” i.e., symbolic. The first is true to especially from their graves; for there is a life and helps the hominologist to study the tomb of one Silenus in the land of the Hebrew, creatures’ appearance and anatomy. They and there is the tomb of another at Pergamus” show hairy bipeds with certain typical features (Pausanias, 1913: VI, XXIV). We also learn setting them apart from humans. Symbolic from him the following: “Elderly Satyrs are portrayals may be a caricature that shows not named Silenuses (Fig. 3). Wishing to know so much the real object as the artist’s attitude particularly who the Satyrs are, I have for that to it. Images of grotesque monsters in ancient purpose talked with many persons.” This and medieval art have therefore led scientists shows that already in ancient Greece the and art specialists to believe that these creatures in question were considered monsters were merely figments of the enigmatic. The author continues: “Euphemus, imagination, with no basis in reality. a Carian, said that when he was sailing to Italy Hominology offers a potential alternative to he was driven by gales out of his course and such views. into the outer ocean, into which mariners do not sail. And he said that there were many Natural History desert islands, but that on other islands there dwelt wildmen (my emphasis – D.B.). The A celebrated source here is Lucretius Carus sailors were loath to put in these latter islands (1st century B.C.), who in his famous De …These islands, said he, are called by the Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things) seamen the Isles of the Satyrs” (Pausanias, describes a race of wildmen, who had very 1913: I, XXIII). The identification of satyrs strong bodies, covered with hair, who lived in with wildmen is noteworthy. woods and caves, who had neither language, The enigmatic nature of satyrs at the time is nor clothes, nor any industry, who hunted also confirmed by Plutarch, who tells of an animals with sticks and stones, and ate meat actual capture of a satyr by the soldiers of the and other foods raw. It is most remarkable that Roman general Sulla in the territory of Lucretius says that these woodland wildmen modern Albania, in the year 86 B.C.