I'm sure some of you have heard the story. Two miners (Cecil Mayne and Frank Carr by name) were out in the San Pedro Mountains near Casper, Wyoming, blasting into the rock looking for gold. One blast unearthed a hollow opening in one mountain, which they investigated. At the back of the twelve foot cave, was a little figure. A mummy, fourteen inches tall, with big closed eyes, folded arms, and crossed legs. A pygmy mummy.
After years on the sideshow circuit, Pedro, as he was dubbed, was bought by an auto salesman, Ivan T. Goodman, who used him as something of a mascot. Scientists finally caught wind of the Wyoming mummy and requested examination. It was proven to be geniune human remains. He was aged at 65, and judged to be from a verrrrry early period in time.
Some have suggested he was an anancephalic, an infant or fetus doomed to deformity and sudden death. But x-rays show a full set of sharp teeth, fully developed skeleton, and a brain.
Furthermore, his head appeared beaten down in some violent manner. A gellatin-like substance was on his head, still...gooey...after all these years.
Eventually, he was sold to a man who moved to California. His whereabouts are now unknown. John Adolfi of Bibleland Studios is trying to locate it, offering a considerable award to anyone who leads him to Pedro. A smaller sum of cash is for anyone who can locate an original x-ray. (photos of Pedro can bee seen at the Fort Casper Museum).
Most American Indian tribes have names for races of little people. Comanches call them nunnepis, the Cherokees refer to the Yumwi. In Wyoming, the Shoshone tell the story of the Nimerigar. These vicious pygmy people were said to kill their own warriors when the grew too old. The method of death? Their skulls were bashed in. Pedro was 65, and suffered a violent death. Interesting coincidence.
The Shoshone consider Pedro somewhat sacred, and hope for his return. But since 1958, no one has seen it.
For anyone in and around Casper, Wyoming, it might be worth checking out the San Pedro Mountains. From what I hear, there is a little cave there near the Pathfinder Reservoir, with a little sign by it: "Little Man Mine" The mine was registered, but never produced ore. It produced a Nimerigar.
Photos (very weird looking):
http://farshores.org/wm05pmm.jpghttp://www.maj.com/gallery/chub/FaintlyMacabre/pedro.gif