Tiny Humans
When exactly did the Third Age of Middle Earth end?
SCIENTISTS who announced yesterday they had discovered a new human species suspect the "hobbits" could have lived as recently as 500 years ago.
Experts from two NSW universities told how finding the dwarf-like skeleton in a remote cave on the Indonesian island of Flores was just the tip of the iceberg.
They hope to continue digging in other parts of the island -- and prove some of the species survived until the 1500s, when Dutch explorers settled in the area.
If the theory is proved correct, it would mean the 1m-tall hobbit -- scientifically known as homo floresiensis -- interacted with modern-day man, until it eventually died out.
"Could they have persisted somewhere else on the island? Yes, they could have done," Professor Bert Roberts of Wollongong University asked.
Any chance that somewhere in the 10,000 islands one or two of these creatures might still survive?
Comments
I wonder if these people might be the truth behind legends of little people like Leprechauns, elves, dwarves, fairies, etc.
Posted by: Stephen Gordon![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.blog.speculist.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 29, 2004 07:23 AM
You have to wonder. Maybe some populations of our ancestors lived in competition (over food, etc.) with these smaller folk. Lacking size, the little people would have had to be pretty wiley to survive. That fits in pretty nice with the mythical imagery of The Little People.
Hmmm...now I'm wondering. Do you suppose they would sometimes swap out one of their babies with one of the Big People's children? Why would they do that? (I never understood why fairies supposedly did it, either.)
Posted by: Phil Bowermaster![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.blog.speculist.com/nav-commenters.gif)
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October 29, 2004 08:06 AM