The Viking Giant www.thehumanmarvels.com

At one point, Johann Petursson was the tallest man in recorded history. He was officially dethroned during his lifetime by the colossal Robert Wadlow but he is arguably the better remembered giant due to his showmanship, personality and longevity.

Johann was born in Dalvik, Iceland on February 9, 1913. He began life as Johann Svarfaelingur, the third child of nine and the only one of extraordinary size. By the time he was twenty-years-old, Johann stood a purported eight feet, eight inches tall and wore a size 24 shoe.

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http://www.thehumanmarvels.com/2008/04/johann-petursson-viking-giant.html

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• giant
• freak
• oddity

[JTithonus]

Actually he was for a very brief amount of time the tallest man officially measured, until Wadlow shattered the record. He is still tallest Icelandic man on record.

[HomicideHenry]

Remember it is by rule of thumb that giants under contract in circuses were almost never measured by their promoters and were billed up to 18" taller than what they were.

[HomicideHenry]

Petrusson was 7'7", and often resided at Gibsonton, Florida next to Al Tomaini a 7'4" giant. The tallest man in America after Wadlow died was Jack Earle, a circus giant who was 7'6 3/4". Petursson was one the oldest giants I know of having died in his 70s when most these people die in their 40s.

[ninjamario412]

In their tounge... He is Dovahkiin...

DRAGON BORN!

[hanten10]

its fake

[logannleslie]

johnnydemo9 you are so sad

[johnnydemo9]

Her hand looks like a child in his Giant hand!!! I know this guy is taller and has bigger hands than this guy. Hes Gay but who cares! Hes a great guy who is incredibly strong!

[supersmash43]

@1aceves yeah Peturrson is far less than 8 feet but I don't think he is only 7'3". I think 7,7" is his official height.

[landmine950]

look under

"giant sized kid"

[1aceves]

By analyzing the videos, Petursson looks to be more like 7'2" or 7'3" in height. You can tell by the way he walks, his legs are not long enough to qualify him as a true giant. He was just a tall person, much like today's basketball centers in the NBA like Shaquille O'neal or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who are 7'1'' and 7'2'' respectively. His facial features suggest acromegaly. In contrast, Robert Wadlow had no acromegalic features in his face, and he grew so tall that it made him very clumsy to walk.