Orestes (bones at Tegea)

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Historiography First hand

Herodotus reports that the Spartan Lichas, following an oracle, found an outsized coffin in a blacksmith's yard at Tegea and identified the body as Orestes, whose bones Sparta then removed. A named informant, a named location and a stated measurement - the earliest giant-bones report in Greek historiography, and very likely a misidentified fossil or a large ancient burial.

Named individuals reported by a named ancient or medieval historian who states where, when and how large. These are records of a claim, not verified measurements.

Record

Also known asOrestes son of Agamemnon
Lineage Heroic-age remains (reported)
TraditionGreek historiography
RegionTegea, Arcadia
EraReported c. 550 BC; identified as the heroic age
Stature as recordedHerodotus: a coffin seven cubits long containing a body of the same length (about 10 ft 6 in / 3.2 m)
Reported or examined byThe blacksmith of Tegea, reported by Lichas to Herodotus
Primary referencesHerodotus, Histories 1.67-68
Source Perseus: Herodotus 1.68

Stature is recorded as the source states it, in that source’s own units. It is not a verified measurement unless this record sits in the Modern documented record class.

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Orestes (bones at Tegea) — Named Giants

Orestes (bones at Tegea)

Record