Welcome to the Shire
We are indebted to Pete Hiscocks for alerting us to this story about a new species of human (dubbed a 'hobbit') found on Flores, of all places. More info can be found at:
It is certainly interesting that a place that has such a strong tradition of 'adat' (traditional animist beliefs), and cultural stories that include the agency of little people, should now be proved to be more than just a myth.
The skeleton was found to the west of us, in Manggarai province (they are all a bit odd in Manggarai), so not exactly on our doorstep, but we will try to do some more research and report back any stories. The most fascinating thing is that the article in Nature magazine proposes that these 'hobbits' may have been alive in Flores until as recently as 100 years ago, and in fact may indeed still be with us.
We have seen plenty of orcs, but no hobbits yet.
You have not seen a hobbit, as they only come out at night to steal sandals, I hear they have big feet, and like size 10 brown leather sandals.
Posted by: Richard | October 30, 2004 at 00:34
The papers are now full of 'homo floresiensis', complete with maps of Flores. This is your 15 minutes of fame!
Posted by: Vyv | October 30, 2004 at 06:08
Dutch Historians are now claiming that they discovered Lilliputian's, as in Gulivers Travels, which Radio 4 (the font of all knowledge now that Elson has left this wet and windy Isle of Blair) broadcast that this made the book based on fact.... curiously enough this was immediately after an article proclaming Osma Bin Laden's latest monologue was "statesman like"... I am now need two bottles of Red and the Oracle to return to explain it to me....
stay safe and take care..
Paul
PS Shower Pod demolished! and the contents of our chimney unexpectedly ended up in nextdoors dining room.... ooops... no one said they were connected!!
Posted by: Paul | October 30, 2004 at 23:29