The story of Kap Dwa, which literally means “two-headed,” appears in British records in the early 20th century, as well as various voyage records between the 17th and 19th centuries. The legend says that Kap Dwa was a two-headed Patagonian giant, with a height of 12 feet or 3.66 meters, who once lived in the jungles of Argentina, South America.
According to the legend, in 1673, Spanish sailors captured the giant, who was over 12 feet tall with two heads, and kept him captive on their ship. Despite being lashed to the mainmast, Kap Dwa managed to break free during a battle, but was fatally injured. The Spaniards eventually killed him by piercing his heart with a spear. Before his demise, Kap Dwa had allegedly claimed the lives of four Spanish soldiers.
The fate of Kap Dwa after his death remains unclear. However, it is said that his naturally mummified body was displayed in various places and sideshows. In 1900, the mummy of Kap Dwa entered the Edwardian Horror Circuit and changed hands between showmen until it ended up at Weston’s Birnbeck Pier in 1914.
For the next 45 years, Kap Dwa’s mummy was on display in north Somerset, England. In 1959, it was purchased by “Lord” Thomas Howard and passed through several more owners until it found its way to Baltimore, Maryland. Today, the mummified remains of Kap Dwa reside in Bob’s Side Show at The Antique Man Ltd in Baltimore, owned by Robert Gerber and his wife. While there are claims that the mummy is a fabricated hoax, the truth behind it remains a mystery.
The legend of the Patagonian giants, to which Kap Dwa is associated, dates back to the early European accounts of the region. Portuguese sailor Ferdinand Magellan and his crew, during their circumnavigation of the world in the 1520s, claimed to have encountered natives of extraordinary height while exploring the South American coastline. These encounters were also described by Antonio Pigafetta, a survivor and chronicler of Magellan’s expedition.
Another account of giant encounters came from Sebalt de Weert, a Dutch captain who explored the coasts of South America and the Falkland Islands in 1600. De Weert and his crew reported seeing a “race of giants” in the Magellan Strait, characterized by long hair, reddish-brown skin, and aggressive behavior towards the crew.
The authenticity of Kap Dwa is a subject of debate. Supporters argue that there is no obvious evidence of taxidermy, with claims of inspections and examinations by doctors and radiologists in the past. However, skeptics question the conflicting origin stories and the fact that Kap Dwa was exhibited as a sideshow attraction, which raises doubts about its credibility. They argue that if Kap Dwa’s mummy were genuine, it would be displayed in a reputable museum and subjected to thorough analysis by mainstream scientists. As of now, there is no conclusive DnA analysis conducted on the mummy, leaving the mystery of Kap Dwa unresolved.