There’s news out of German cryptozoology site about new DNA results on the skull of Khwit (shown above) and another new find. In August, 2006, the Russian newspaper Komsomol’skaja Pravda (1) reported on the examination of a skull assumed to be from a “relic hominoid” from Abkazia. Most have talked about their relationship to the Almasty mystery. Igor Bourtsev, who found the skull, was invited to visit the USA for its analysis. (2)

Click on the Khwit news item for a full-sizer view of the skull.

Bourtsev wrote in the Mugamir Russian website that he was in New York from July 13-20, on an invitation from NG-TV. The DNA of the skull from Khwit and another female skull from a neighboring grave of Khwit were examined at New York University. NG-TV filmed his talk with a geneticist and an anthropologist.

Click on mother Zana and baby Khwit for a full-sizer version

According to Bourtsev, the preliminary result of the DNA analysis is that the skulls are most likely related. Khwit’s skull is an “Australoid type.” Some measurements of the skull are greater than the maximum values known from modern man. The female skull – according to Bourtsev – is an “African type,” with a strongly defined skeletal, lower facial and teeth prognathism. Despite the DNA relationship of the skulls, the anthropologist is skeptical that they are related because of the many morphological differences. Nothing is shared about Burtsev’s hypothesis of a genetic relationship to the Neanderthal. A written report of the examination is expected.

(1) Lagovskij, Vladimir. 2006. A Caucasian Prisoner. Komsomol’skaja Pravda, August 11 (in Russian).

(2) Moscow hominologistHYPERLINK l “Khwit” gives bone sample to the USA for investigation.

The rarely seen skull of Zana, showing the prognathism.

Main source: “Igor Bourtsev on the Examination of two Skulls from Abkazia/Caucasus”. Thanks to Mark A. Hall for noting this to us.

I have more to say about the Is It Real? morphological examination of the Khwit skull, and how they used the wrong skulls for comparison, some other time.