Nimerigar facts for kids

The Nimerigar are a legendary race of tiny people from the folklore of the Shoshone people. The Shoshone are a Native American tribe who have lived for a long time in the Rocky Mountains of North America.

According to Shoshone stories, the Nimerigar were fierce warriors. They were said to shoot poisoned arrows from their small bows. The name "Nimerigar" roughly means "people eaters" in the Shoshone and Paiute languages. These legends also suggest that if a Nimerigar person became too sick to help their community, they might be killed with a blow to the head. This was believed to be a harsh way of life in their difficult environment.

The San Pedro Mummy Mystery

For a long time, the Nimerigar were thought to be just a myth. But in 1932, something strange was found that made people wonder. This was the discovery of the San Pedro Mountains Mummy. It was a very small mummy, only about 14 inches tall (or 6.5 inches if it was sitting). It was found inside a cave about 60 miles south of Casper, Wyoming.

Discovery and Early Beliefs

When the tiny mummy was first found, many people thought it was a trick or a hoax. But scientists decided to study it closely. Important tests were done by the American Museum of Natural History. The Anthropology Department at Harvard University also confirmed that it seemed real. These early tests suggested the mummy was the body of a grown-up adult, possibly around 65 years old. The mummy also had some injuries, like a damaged spine, a broken collarbone, and a skull that looked like it had been hit. This made some believe it had died violently. Even stranger, the mummy had a full set of canine teeth, and they were all very pointed.

What Science Revealed

Later, more detailed studies were done on the San Pedro Mummy. The University of Wyoming examined the body carefully. They found that it was actually the body of a baby who had a condition called anencephaly. This condition affects how the brain and skull form, making the baby look like a miniature adult. In the 1990s, another similar mummy was examined by anthropologist George Gill from the University of Wyoming and the Denver Children's Hospital. This second mummy was also found to be an anencephalic infant. DNA tests showed it was Native American, and radiocarbon dating suggested it was from around the year 1700. So, while the mummies were real, they were not the mythical Nimerigar.

Other Stories of Little People

The San Pedro Mummy isn't the only story that makes people wonder about little people in North America. Historical records from a missionary named Zeisberger in 1778 also mention similar tales.

The Ohio Burial Ground

Near a place called Coshocton, Ohio, Zeisberger wrote about a burial ground. This site was said to contain many remains of a "pygmy race," which means very small people. These individuals were reportedly about 3 feet tall. Zeisberger noted that the graves were arranged in neat rows, with the heads facing west. This led to a theory that these tiny people might have worshipped the sun. They would have faced the sunrise each day.

These old burial grounds no longer exist today. This is because the land has been used for farming and modern buildings. However, the missionary's notes suggest that these ancient people knew how to use stone axes. They also made good pottery and divided their land into square areas. Beyond these few details, much about this interesting group of people remains a mystery.