Zana and the Black Plague

Zana and the Black Plague

By Richard L. Soule 1/30/18

The tragic story of Zana the wild woman of Russia is well-known in the Bigfoot community. Her legacy to Science will be indelible from her DNA and the ramifications they suggest. I have conducted research on the effects of Contagions on Bigfoot in the Americas (Flu and Small Pox) and the Woodwose in Europe (Plague) that lead me to ominous historical records of death for Homo Sapiens. Small pox had left genocidal consequences for Indigenous Americans and the link to Sasquatch was evident in Native American lore. The problem existed that there was no real scientific evidence to link Bigfoot. So, I turned my sights on the Black Plague and came to some astonishing findings that were only present with current DNA studies completed By Dr. Sykes of Oxford (Zana) and Omer Gokcumen, PhD, University of Buffalo (MUC 7).

Humans spread the plague to one another by air borne, lice or flea disease vectors. The large population of Europe and consolidated community living invigorated the spread of disease. This is evident as a cyclical historical contagion bubble, culling populations of Hominoids. It occurs overlapping in the Americas when Small pox decimated Indigenous populations. The concurrent contagions reflect a cycle that has shaped the surviving populations genetics and reduced competition for resources. Contagions appear to burst population bubbles and would have the same effect on other hominoids such as the Woodwose in Europe or the Sasquatch in the Americas. Contagions can be contributed to the extinction of other Hominoids such as the Neanderthal and the Denisovan. Their remnant genetic code is a stark reminder in their modern surviving hybrid cousins Homo Sapiens. Below is a map of the plague time line.

It seems that interbreeding between different early hominin species is not the exception – it’s the norm,’ said Omer Gokcumen, PhD, an assistant professor of biological sciences at the University at Buffalo’s College of Arts and Sciences.‘Our research traced the evolution of an important mucin protein called MUC7 that is found in saliva.‘When we looked at the history of the gene that codes for the protein, we see the signature of archaic admixture in modern day Sub-Saharan African population.’The researchers were investigating the purpose and origins of the MUC7 protein.This protein is, in part, responsible for the slimy consistency of saliva, and helps it to bind to microbes. In turn, this helps keep the body free from disease-causing bacteria.The team studied the MUC7 gene in more than 2,500 modern human genomes, revealing that a group from Sub-Saharan Africa had a ‘wildly different’ version than others.Further analysis revealed it was even more different to modern humans than Neanderthal and Denisovan MUC7 genes are.The discovery suggests that ancient human ancestors that can be traced to these populations alive today may have engaged in ‘sexual rendezvous’ with a ‘ghost’ species of archaic humans. Omer Gokcumen, PhD, University of Buffalo (MUC 7).

In the case of Zana, cultural anthropology will give us some clues as to how she has become Homin number one in the DNA evidence for the branch of Hominology science. Historically studying a culture will give you information to how interactions and norms shape behavioral dynamics. In my research of Bigfoot clans (Family) the Alpha male is the dominate Patriarch of the clan. Females and the juveniles stay together and the Male insures their protection and security keeping a watchful eye on them. These roles are subordinate to the Alpha male and are ingrained in their behavior. The Male then keeps order to insure the female is not taken by another male and establishes/maintains family lineage. Zana had become a victim of several factors that made her vulnerable and subsequently held captive.

Her family Clan would have been susceptible to the many waves of Black Plague that spread primarily during the summer months by Fleas, lice or close airborne contact. The Black Plague spread from the 14^th century to the 19^th century during the time she was captured. Over these centuries a culling of her Clan and subsequent Clans in the region left her without her patriarchal family. It is viable that their numbers dwindled to the extent that no other clans were left in the area to adopt a young Zana. It is traumatic to hear the details of her capture and her subsequent life given the knowledge she was the last of her kind in that Region. There are many written accounts of her story and I chose to include one that gives a legitimate detail of her life and her offspring.

The DNA research in recent years have provided the scientific evidence needed to link Zana to Sub Sahara Africa and a Ghost gene that is her Paternal Haplo group MUC7E Witnesses described the six-foot, six-inches tall woman discovered in the Caucasus Mountains between Georgia and Russia as having 'all the characteristics of a wild animal' - and covered in thick auburn hair.

Map of the Region Zana was captured and held captive in for more than twenty years. This area is along the Caucasus Mountains and is significant in that the origin of the Black Plague is near the Caspian Sea.

I have inserted Zana’s story as it was posted on the Bigfoot Encounters website.

A Skeleton Still Buried and a Skull

Unearthed: The Story of Zana

By Igor Bourtsev

From: "In the Footsteps of the Russian Snowman" by Dmitri Bayanov

Additional Photo added 2003 at the end ---In Abkhazia, Western Caucasus, relict hominoids are called abnauayu. While collecting reports in 1962, a colleague of Boris Porshnev, zoologist Prof Alexander Mashkovtsev, heard and studied the story of Zana. Subsequently, Porshnev took over where his late companion left off. The following information is borrowed from Porshnev's work The Struggle for Troglodytes.

Zana was a female abnauayu who had been caught and tamed and who lived and died within the memory of a number of people still alive at the time of the research. She was buried near the village of Tkhina in the Ochamchiri District of Abkhazia in the 1880s or 1890s.

The manner of her capture is vague. Some said it was not a chance catch. Hunters familiar with an age-old technique tied her up, and, when she furiously fought back, hit her with cudgels, gagged her mouth with felt, and shackled her legs to a log. Probably she had already changed hands by sale when she became property of the ruling prince D.M.Achba who was the titular head of the Zaadan region. She passed into the possession of one of his vassals, named Chelokua and still later she was presented to a nobleman, Edgi Genaba, who visited the region. He took her away, still shackled and chained, to his estate in the village of Tkhina on the Mokva River, 78 kilometres from Sukhumi.

At first Genaba lodged her in a very strong enclosure and nobody ventured in to give her food, for she acted like a wild beast. It was thrown to her. She dug herself a hole in the ground and slept in it and for the first three years she lived in this wild state, gradually becoming tamer. After three years she was moved to a wattle-fence enclosure under an awning near the house, tethered at first, but later she was let loose to wander about. However she never went far from the place where she received her food. She could not endure warm rooms and the year round, in any weather, slept outdoors in a hole that she made herself under the awning.

Villagers teased her with sticks thrust through the wattle-fence, and she.would snatch them with fury, bare her teeth and howl.

Her skin was black, or dark grey, and her whole body covered with reddish-black hair. The hair on her head was tousled and thick, hanging mane-like down her back.

She could not speak, over decades that she lived with people, Zana did not learn a single Abkhaz word; she only made inarticulate sounds and mutterings, and cries when irritated. But she reacted to her name, carried out commands given by her master and was scared when he shouted at her. And this despite the fact that she was very tall, massive and broad, with huge breasts and buttocks, muscular arms and legs, and fingers that were longer and thicker than human fingers. She could splay her toes widely and move apart the big toe.

From remembered descriptions given to Mashkovtsev and Porshnev, her face was terrifying; broad, with high cheekbones, flat nose, turned out nostrils, muzzle-like jaws, wide mouth with large teeth, low forehead, and eyes of a reddish tinge. But the most frightening feature was her expression which was purely animal, not human. Sometimes, she would give a spontaneous laugh, baring those big white teeth of hers. The latter were so strong that she easily cracked the hardest walnuts.

She lived for many years without showing any change: no grey hair, no falling teeth, keeping strong and fit as ever. Her athletic power was enormous. She would outrun a horse, and swim across the wild Mokva River even when it rose in violent high tide. Seemingly without effort she lifted with one hand an eighty-kilo sack of flour and carried it uphill from the water-mill to the village. She climbed trees to get fruit, and to gorge herself with grapes she would pull down a whole vine growing around the tree. She ate whatever was offered to her, including hominy and meat, with bare hands and enormous gluttony. She loved wine, and was allowed her fill, after which she would sleep for hours in a swoonlike state.

She liked to lie in a cool pool side by side with buffalos. At night she used to roam the surrounding hills. She wielded big sticks against dogs and on other perilous occasions. She had a curious obsession for playing with stones, knocking one against another and splitting them.

She took swims the year round, and preferred to walk naked even in winter, tearing dresses that she was given into shreds. However, she showed more tolerance toward a loin-cloth. Sometimes she went into the house, but the women were afraid of her and came near only when she was in a gentle mood; when angry she, presented a scary sight and could even bite. But she obeyed her master, Edgi Genaba, and he knew how to bring her to heel. Adults used her as a bogy figure with children, although Zana never actually attacked children.

She was trained to perform simple domestic tasks, such as grinding grain for flour, bringing home firewood and water, or sacks to and from the water-mill, or pull her master's high boots off.

But she became the mother of human children, and this is the wonderous side of her life story, very important for the science of genetics. Zana was pregnant several times by various men, and, giving birth without assistance, she always washed the newborn child in the cold water-spring. The half-breed infants, unable to survive these ablutions, died.

So, when subsequently Zana gave birth, the villagers began taking the newborn babies away from her in good time, and reared them themselves. Four times this happened, and the children, two sons and two daughters, grew up as humans, fully-fledged and normal men and women who could talk and possessed reason. It is true that they had some strange physical and mental features, but nonetheless they were fully capable of engaging in work and social Life

The eldest son's name was Dzhanda, and the eldest daughier was Kodzhanar. The second daughter was named Gamasa, and the younger son Khwit, who died in 1954. All had descendants of their own, scattered across Abkhazia.

There were rumours that the father of Gamasa and Khwit was in fact Edgi Genaba himself, but in the census they were put down under a different surname, and their family-name became Sabekia. It is significant that Zana was buried in the family cemetery of the Genabas, and that the two youngest children of Zana were brought up by Genaba's wife.

Gamasa and Khwit were both powerfully built, had dark skins, but they inherited scarcely anything from Zana's facial appearance. The complex of human features, inherited from their father, was dominant in them and overruled the mother's line of descent. Khwit, who died at the age of 65 or 70, was described by his fellow-villagers as little different from the human norm, except for certain small divergences. He was extremely strong, difficult to deal with and quick to pick a fight. In fact, he lost his right hand after one of the many fights he had with his fellow-villagers, but his left hand sufficed him to mow and do other work on a collective farm, and even climb trees. When old, he moved to the town of Tkvarcheli where he eventually died, but he was taken back for burial at Tkhina.

The next stage of the Zana case was taken up by attempts fo find her grave and skeleton. Here is what Boris Porshnev Says about his first effort in that direction:

In September 1964, the archaeologist V.S.Orelkin and I made our first attempt to find Zana's grave. The cemetery was wildly overgrown and only the ten-year-old mound over Khwit's grave could be picked out among the bracken covering the hillside. Nobody else had been buried since then.

Zana must be somewhere near. We asked the old residents and the last scion of the Genaba dan, seventy-nine-year-old Kenton. He was clear that we should dig under a pomegranate tree. What was found there turned out to be the remains of one of Zana's grandchildren who had died early, for the profile that we established from the skull was extraordinarily like the profiles of Zana's two living grandchildren whom I myself had met.

After two more expeditions the search party had still not found Zana's bones, though in a third attempt in October 1965, they found what are probably the bones of Gamasa, as they present slight, but definite paleoanthropic features.

After the passing of Porshnev it fell to my lot to continue the search. I headed three expeditions to Abkhazia in search of Zana's skeleton, in 1971, 1975 and 1978, which merits a separate story. Our difficulty was that by that time the last scion of the Genaba dan had passed away and nobody knew exactly where Zana's grave was. We put in a tremendous amount of spade work on that hillside, digging sticky clayey earth under almost daily downpours. During the second expedition I was taken seriously ill with an illness which doctors failed to identify. We never found a skeleton that would fit Zana's features as described by witnesses.

It was then decided to exhume the skull of Khwit, Zana's younger son, whose grave was still well indicated. Professor N. Bourchak-Abramovich assisted me in that digging. I brought the skull to Moscow where it was studied by two physical anthropologists, M.A.Kolodieva and M.M.Gerasimova. The results of the study were reported by me at the Relict Hominoid Research Seminar and the Moscow Naturalists' Society and published in 1987.

Corroborative evidence in the context of Zana's description.

(See Additional Photo of Zana's son at the bottom of this article)

Anthropologist M.A.Kolodieva compared the skull of Khwit with the male skulls from Abkhazia in the collection of the Moscow State University Institute of Anthropology and found that Khwit's skull was significantly different. Indicating it as the Tkhina skull, she writes:

The Tkhina skull exhibits an original combination of modem and ancient features ... The facial section of the skull is significantly larger in comparison with the mean Abkhaz type ... All the measurements and indices of the superciliary cranial contour are greater not only than those of the mean Abkhaz series, but also than those of maximum size of some fossil skulls studied (or rather were comparable with the latter). The Tkhina skull approaches closest the Neolithic Vovnigi II skulls of the fossil series...

On her part, anthropologist M.M.Gerasimova came to following conclusions:

The skull discloses a great deal of peculiarity, a certain disharmony disequilibrium in its features, very large dimensions of the facial skeleton, increased development of the contour of the skull, specificity of the non-metric features (the two foramina mentale in the lower jaw, the intrusive bones in the sagittal suture, and the Inca bone). The skull merits further extended study.

So the bottom line of the Zana case today is this: we have nothing but the words of witnesses to describe Zana's peculiar nature, but the hard and specific evidence of her son's skull goes a long way in making the testimony of witnesses more solid and trustworthy.

Text From: In the Footsteps of the Russian Snowman by Dmitri Bayanov.

(1996, Moscow, Russia: Crypto-Logos, pp. 46-52)

Khwit's skull comparison

Excerpts from the News release of Professor Bryan Sykes DNA results

Was Russian 'Bigfoot' actually an African slave?

01 NOV 2013 Sykes hypothesis Link to Sykes original theory on the DNA analysis

A leading British geneticist, who recently found the DNA key that could answer the mystery of the ‘Yeti’, has now solved the riddle of Russia’s own Bigfoot, ‘Zana’.

Bryan Sykes, Professor of Human Genetics at the University of Oxford, has carried out DNA tests on saliva samples taken from descendants of Zana - a so-called ‘wild woman’ captured in the late 19^th century in southern Russia, who local people believe was an ‘Almasty’.

Professor Sykes’ research (part of a worldwide analysis of alleged Bigfoot samples), has yielded a remarkable result: that Zana's ancestry was 100% Sub-Saharan African and that she was most probably a slave brought to the region by the ruling Ottomans.

His findings feature in a new Channel 4 documentary series, Bigfoot Files (November 3^rd), presented by Mark Evans, who is on a global quest to unlock the real story of Bigfoot.

Zana’s story is extraordinary. She is said to have been captured in the forests of Abkhazia, a remote part of Russia’s Caucasus region, in the 1870s. Imprisoned, it's said, for two decades by a local landowner, she was described by eyewitnesses as being ‘very big, strong, her whole body covered with hair’. Chillingly, Zana had four children with local men.

Russia's 'Almasty Hunters' have been obsessed with her story for over half a century and have always believed that Zana could be a surviving Neanderthal, the human-like species that is thought to have died out tens of thousands of years ago.

To answer the riddle and establish what species she belonged to, Professor Sykes has tested samples from six of Zana's living descendants. He has also recovered DNA from a tooth taken from the skull of one of her sons, Khwit. Such work is highly specialized and Sykes was the first geneticist ever to extract DNA from ancient bone.

The results are complex and fascinating. First, they show that Zana was, in fact, no more Neanderthal than many of the rest of modern humans. When the Neanderthal genome was sequenced in 2010 it became clear that Europeans and Asians contain around 2 to 4% of Neanderthal DNA; almost certainly the result of interbreeding.

But the big surprise in Sykes' results was that Zana's DNA is not Caucasian at all, but African. Khwit's tooth sample confirms her maternal African ancestry and the saliva tests on the six living descendants show that they all contain African DNA in the right proportions for Zana to have been genetically 100% sub-Saharan African.

“The most obvious solution that springs to mind is that Zana or her ancestors were brought from Africa to Abkhazia as slaves, when it was part of the slave trading Ottoman Empire, to work as servants or labourers,” says Professor Sykes. “While the Russians ended slavery when they took over the region in the late 1850s, some Africans remained behind. Was Zana one of them, who was living wild in the forest when she was captured?“

But that theory would not explain her extraordinary features, described by reliable eyewitnesses. There is an even more intriguing alternative theory. Having carefully studied the skull of Zana's son, Khwit, Professor Sykes believes there are some unusual morphological skull features – such as very wide eye sockets, an elevated brow ridge and what appears to be an additional bone at the back of the skull – that could suggest ancient, as opposed to modern, human origins.

And Sykes has raised the bold theoretical possibility that Zana could be a remnant of an earlier human migration out of Africa, perhaps tens of thousands, of years ago. If correct, Zana could be evidence of a hitherto unknown human 'tribe', dating from a distant time when the human species was still evolving and whose ancestors were forced into remote regions, like the Caucasus mountains, by later waves of modern humans coming out of Africa.

One of the Russian Almasty hunters, Dr Igor Burtsev, offers testimony in the Channel 4 documentary that may back this theory up. He unearthed Khwit's skull in 1971 and a few years later, showed it to a group of anthropologists in Moscow. They were, he says 'amazed', and identified a mix of 'primitive' and 'progressive' (modern) features in the skull. Lacking the scientific tools at Sykes' disposal, they could take it no further. Now Sykes is able to propose the theory with some confidence.

It is only a theory at this stage - and a bold and speculative one at that. But Professor Sykes intends to study it much further before reaching his final conclusions.

Zana’s story will feature in Bigfoot Files on Channel 4 on Sunday, November 3rd at 8.00pm. In the programme Mark Evans also meets former heavyweight boxing champion of the world, seven foot tall Nikolai Valuev, who admits to having a bit of a Neanderthal look himself. He is now Duma Deputy (the equivalent of an MP) for Kemerovo in Siberia and fascinated in Almasty. The programme also investigates some of the other claimed sightings of the creatures in Russia.

The series, made by Icon Films, examines the stories behind famous Bigfoot sightings and Mark Evans meets people who believe passionately that other species of hominid exist. A book by Professor Sykes about his research The Yeti Enigma: A DNA Detective Story will be published by Coronet in Spring 2014.

I have attached a map of the Black Plague with coded time line of Origin. Notice the epicenter is bordering the Caucasus Mountains in the Republic of Abkhazia, Zana’s homeland. (Black plague 14^th to 19^th century).

ZANA THE HOMIN "Ruber Capillus Africanus Gigas" © Ruber Gigas/Red Giant

Zana’s life has solved one of the greatest mysteries of our time. Her tragic existence precipitated by the ominous shadow of living during the Black Plague created a chain of events that has reshaped the way we must consider our own history.

Dr. Sykes identified the Sub Saharan African DNA within her offspring that links her to the research complete by Dr. Gokcumen. I think Dr.Sykes assertion that her ancestors came out of Africa tens of thousands of years ago is a factual representation. Dr. Gokcumen’s team studied the MUC7 gene in more than 2,500 modern human genomes, revealing that a group from Sub-Saharan Africa had a ‘wildly different’ version than others. Further analysis revealed it was even more different to modern humans than Neanderthal and Denisovan MUC7 genes are. The discovery suggests that ancient human ancestors that can be traced to these populations alive today may have engaged in ‘sexual rendezvous’ with a ‘ghost’ species of archaic humans. Omer Gokcumen, PhD, University of Buffalo (MUC 7).

I believe this is the Scientific Evidence that proves the existence of modern Bigfoot! The Ghost species Paternal haplo group of which we can consider Zana a descendant has modern lineage today in sub Saharan Africans. There may be current fossils of this Ghost species. Zana is the proof that her ancestors left Africa. These archaic hominoids exist today with the same characteristics described of Zana.

See my Website: THE NOX GIGAS STUDY for more of my research that supports this evidence.

HOMIN "Ruber Capillus Africanus Gigas" © Ruber Gigas/Red Giant

(RUBER GIGAS) is the name I am giving the MUC7E gene in the absence of a fossil.

Ruber Capillus Africanus Gigas "Red haired African Giant"

The MUC7E gene is the genetic connection linking Zana to the Sub-Saharan African DNA

Zana Birth ? ---- Death1880-1890 TKHINA REPUBLIC OF ABKHAZIA (GEORGIA)

Kwhit (Son) Birth ? ---- Death 1954 Age 65 to 70 Buried Genebas Cemetery TKHINA

Studies combined to link the genetic history (The Nox Gigas Study) 1/30/18

1) November 1, 2013 DNA study completed by Dr. Bryan Sykes of Oxford University U.K.

Sample of six of Zana’s living descendants and a tooth from Kwhit’s skull.

Zana 100% Sub Saharan African (SYKES OXFORD) Zana had 2% to 3% Neanderthal DNA (Suggesting interbreeding)

2) July 7, 2017 MUC7E gene in Sub-Saharan Africa Omer Gokcumen PhD University at Buffalo U.S.A,

Archaic Hominin Introgression in Africa Contributes to Functional Salivary MUC7 Genetic Variation

Link to MUC7 E Haplo group of Archaic Sub-Saharan African, Molecular Biology and Evolution Oxford Dr. Gokcumen

Emergent Hominoid Graph Hypothesis

Homo Sapien Emergent Hominoids MUC7 Cluster

1) European Neanderthal MUC7 1 and 2

2) Asian Denisovan MUC7 1 and 2

3) Sub- Saharan African Alma/Russia MUC7E 3

Yeren/China MUC7E 3

Yeti/Nepal MUC7E 3

Woodwose/Europe MUC7E 3

Sasquatch/Bigfoot/America MUC7E 3

Yowie/Australian MUC7E 3

These MUC7 clusters indicated a variant when compared to the MUC7E (Gokcumen) See Emergent Homin page for graphics to the cluster haplo groups.

European Neanderthal and Asian Denisovan clustered together and the MUC7E clusterd only with the Sub- Saharan African.

MUC7E cluster 3 hypothesis

I believe this is evidence of a genetic connection to the Emergent Hominin Alma, Yeren, Yeti, Yowie,Woodwose, and Bigfoot. The stratification of the MUC7E gene should indicate in future studies of these Hominin that they all have a common origin linked to Sub-Sahara African MUC7E gene. Almasty RHI Koffman report, stories of the Russian Almasty!

The MUC7E gene is the DNA signature that can link the existence of Emergent Hominin species as a baseline for genetic confirmation! Researchers now have a common ancester to build a profile from.

To validate this theory Dr Sykes and Dr Gokcumen's research will need to collaborate and reexamine Kwhit's/Zana's descendants DNA for MUC7E gene. Zana's modern introduction will prove the existence of the Alma and the presence of Archaic Hominin today. Audio/Video of my presentation Link: Zana Presentation

It is my esteemed privilege to post this accurate account of the research completed by Dr. Burtsev Moscow Russia. He sets the record straight and gives context to the research that I have put forth. Thank you Igor!!

Dr. Igor Burtsev with Kwhit's skull

The Zana File

This is the incredible story of Zana, a hairy Wild Woman, known locally as an Abnauayu in Abkhazia, Nord Caucasian neighbour of Russia, probably an Abominable Snowman, or as called an Almas in Mongolia, Almasty or Kaptar on the Caucasus, depending on the location. She is probably a feral relict hominid from Stone Age prehistory distantly related to human beings, possibly Neanderthal some think, as prof. Porshnev believed in 1960s.

Much of this ongoing Zana saga is based on the publications of The Russian scientists: Boris Porshnev, The Struggle For Troglodytes; and a chapter A Skeleton Still Buried and a Skull Unearthed: The Story of Zana, by Igor Bourtsev in Dmitri Bayanov’s the popular 1996 book, In the Footsteps of the Russian Snowman, and from The New Turn in Russian Snowman Research, 2011 by Igor Burtsev.

Zoologist Professor Dr. Alexander Mashkovtsev in 1962 first heard of and studied the amazing story of Zana, gathered many of the following descriptions from local long-livers who still recalled her. And Professor Dr. Boris Porshnev continued the study of the case in 1964-65.

Incredibly wild and vicious, Zana was captured with great difficulty in the forest by a local merchant in about 1850 in Georgia and after lived and died in Tkhina village in Abkhazia, as was narrated by local long-livers to Dr. Alexandr Mashkovtsev while he visited that region in 1962. The captive happened in a gulch along the Adzyubzha River, and the merchant was astonished to see a young female Abnauayu in a meadow along the gulch living in Paleolithic innocence.

Named Zana (means black in Georgian) the creature was tied, and fighting back, was hit with cudgels and gagged with a mouth full of felt and finally shackled by her legs to a log. She was eventually put in a ditch, surrounded by a fence of sharpened logs and was living in squalor. There she growled and charged at laughing children who threw sticks and dirt clods at her. After some time she was finally considered somewhat tamed and then made “love” to, even giving birth to live half-breed children…thus, the strange saga of “The Zana File”

Near the end of the 19th century, Zana was probably sold as a curiosity to the handsome knight, D. M. Achba, after re-sold a couple of times and finally handled to the Nobleman Edgui Genaba in Tkhina village in some 50 miles from Sukhum, the capitol city of Abkhazia.. It was in the Ochamchir district of Abkhazia (which became at Soviet time a part of Georgia Soviet Republic, but since 1992 has been self-proclaimed independent Republic Abkhazia), close to the Black Sea coast.

She was thrown into a caged stone enclosure tied with chains and ropes, and as she acted like a wild beast, food was simply thrown to her. She dug a hole in the ground where she slept for the next three years. Zana was a local curiosity and surrounding villagers would come by to poke her with a stick, chuckling as she would grab for the stick, growl, howl, and menacingly bare her big glaringly white teeth.

Eventually becoming tame, Zana became domesticated and was released to roam the hillsides free of shackles. Zana did not roam far though, preferring to remain near her food, but she could not endure the warm rooms of indoor human cultures, and slept outdoors, still in a hole in the ground that she had dug under the awning.

(The text from here about Mashkovtsev and Porshnev transferred to above)

Zana could not speak, even after several decades of living with humans, she had never even learned a word of the native Abhkaz language. She could only make inarticulate sounds, unexpected laughs, mutters or cries when she was poked with a stick or otherwise irritated. One sound done well was the imitation of a squeaking gate, which seemed to make her happy. She could recognize her own name though, and would do simple chores like carrying with one hand heavy 110 pound sacks of corn flour that she had carry from the water-mill by the river, collecting firewood, removing her masters boots, or fetching water. She was fearful when Edgi Genaba shouted at her despite her huge size, but others were afraid of Zana because she was known to bite, and whenever she came to the house the women only came near when she was in a calm and gentle mood. Adults told “Zana-monster” stories to their children to make them behave, although Zana was never known to attack any of them…”Zana’s gonna’ get cha’ if you’re bad.” Perhaps if she was poked with a stick when free?

She hated clothes, preferring to run around naked, even in the coldest winter which she seemed completely resistant to, and if dressed, would tear the clothes to shreds, though she eventually learned to wear a loin cloth. Strange, as she was captured trying to put on red underclothes. Another strange habit was her curiosity about rocks, spending time stacking or cracking them apart. Often she was seen cooling off by lying in a pond with the water buffalo, or bathing in some icy mountain spring. Zana liked to climb trees, or roam the nearby hills, using a stick to fend off dogs or other perils.

Zana was a glutinous eater, taking anything offered her, like meat or hominy, and eating with her bare hands as she never learned how to eat with a spoon and plate.

Zana became pregnant several times, from several different local men; an important clue to geneticists. The local men had forced her to drink wine, and it didn’t take long for her to get drunk. And, there was always someone to make love to a monster. During drunken orgies Edgui Genaba was said to offer a prize to the man who would mount Zana, and the prize would always be given to a winner…if even himself. (The info in this paragraph was learned later on by me from one American who met one old woman which left that region being 5 year old and lived in America. Her parents told her about - IB)

After the birth of a human-type child without assistance, Zana would take the newborn to wash it in the cold waters of the spring or the frozen waters of the river; the first one hybrid baby quickly died from exposure. Eventually the local villagers would take the babies away from the silly mother, nursing and raising the half-monster babies themselves. This happened four times; two sons and two daughters, who were reared as human.

The sons were the eldest Dzhonda Achba, and the youngest Khwit Sabekia, and between them the daughters were Gamasa and Kodzhanar. People had no idea who their fathers were, although as the eldest son was Achba (Ashba), probably his father was the first Zana’s owner Achba. As to the younger ones many years later during a census taking, the younger children were listed as offsprings of a local resident, Kamshish Sabekia, who acknowledged “winning prizes” with Zana before he was finally married. Thus the younger children adopted the family name of Sabekia. Zana’s youngest son Khwit and his sister Gamasa were raised by Genaba’s wife. It was rumored that they were both sired by Edgi Genaba himself. All the children were fertile, and left descendents scattered across Abkhazia.

(As I learned during the last decade, Dzhonda (Jonda) had 9 daughters, Gamasa had a son and a daughter, Kodzhanar (Kojanar) had two daughters. Khwit has one daughter from her first wife, and a son and a daughter from the second or even third wife Maria, a Russian. – IB)

The boys had dark-grayish skin and were said to have normal faces, Khwit having thick curly hair and very full lips. He looked like an Australian aboriginal. Apparently the genes of the father were dominant, overruling the mother’s line of descent.

Khwit could work, talk, and reason like other villagers, had a social life, but was powerful and belligerent…quick to pick a fight. He often had fights with other villagers. Like his mother, Khwit didn’t like children as they would get into his garden to steal pears and grapes, though not poking him like with mom. Khwit was said to be not only a very strong man but was difficult to live with as he was very violent. Khwit once got into a fight with a relative who jumped him. He defended himself but the relative hit him with a mattock and put a deep gash in his right arm near the elbow. The arm had to be amputated, though he could still do his agricultural work on his private land plowing his lot with only his left arm. He did that until he was accused to be a “kulak” - too rich private peasant, not entering into collective farm, and was dispossessed of his property by the local authorities.

Aging, Khwit moved to the town of Tkvarchel where he finally died. He lived until 1954 being 67 to 70 years old, and was taken back to be buried near his mother Zana, who had died in about 1890, in the family cemetery in Tkhina village in the Ochamchir District of Abkhazia. Some note the importance of Zana being buried in the family cemetery of the Genabas, as if she were part of that family. During her life, she showed little sign of aging, having no grey hair and retained her teeth.

Zana’s grandchildren were also said to be dark skinned, with African features, and extremely strong, and it has been noted by geneticists that the hybrid offspring of Khwit were viable and not sterile. Khwit Sabekia was married twice or trice, and sired one daughter Tanya (born in 1919) from his first wife and a son Shaliko (1934) and a daughter Raya (1938) from the second or third wife, Russian woman Maria, who had before two daughters from former husband.

Igor Burtsev: I located and made acquaintance a lot of Zana’s descendents, shooting their photos and some pictures from their albums. Daughter Raya and her brother Shaliko were similar to Khwit with similar lower jaws and protruding cheekbones. His older daughter Tanya has no resemblance to Zana except for the eyes, though photos of Khwit and his sister (Kojanar ?) bear a resemblance to the description of Zana. Raya’s son Robert Kukubava also resembled his grandfather Khwit. Unfortunately his mother Raya had been electrocuted in her home just in 2008 being in ages of 70…

Prof. Porshnev held three archeologic expeditions in 1964-65 attempted and failed to locate and excavate Zana’s bones. The first expedition was in September 1964 when archaeologist Vladimir Oryolkin and Professor Boris Porshnev searched but were unable to locate the grave site in the Tkhina cemetery. Returning again in 1965 they were accompanied by Yury Voronov who later became Vice Premier of Abkhazia (was killed in 1995). The cemetery was located and was found overgrown with bracken fern, but Khwit’s ten year old marked grave mound was easily found. It was said by the last of the family relatives, 70 year old Kenton, that Zana’s grave was under a pomegranate tree. Excavating there, the workers destroyed the facial part of the skull, which was determined later as belong to easy local woman, probably one of Zana’s daughter or grand-daughter.

On the next two expeditions, nothing was found, but in October 1965 the possible remains of Gamasa, Zana’s daughter, were located and the skull collected. It was of usual size, though had some definite features that appeared to be rude.

Later on I attempted to continue such searches and excavations. It was then decided in 1971 to locate and excavate Khwit’s grave which was well marked, and exgume the skull. Accompanied by the famous Professor of paleontology Nikolay Bourchak-Abramovich assisting with their spade work, I excavated the skull from the easily located grave of Khwit, accompanied by the Professor Dr. Nikolay Burchak-Abramovich, zoologist-paleontologist from Tbilissi, who determined the skull as very interesting and peculiar. I took it to Moscow with the other skull that was located neighbourly.

Igor D. Burtsev, a Prof. Porshnev’s assistant and follower, later becoming a hominologist studying unknown hominoid, took the exhumed skulls to Moscow for study of their modern and ancient features. The results from the Khwit skull were reported at the Relict Hominoid Research Seminar and published in the Papers of the Moscow Naturalists’ Society (Anthropology section) in 1987, co-authored with Marina Kolodieva, as Results of a Preliminary Investigation of a Skull from the village of Tkhina, Abkhaz ASSR (in Russian).

Physical anthropologists Marina Kolodieva and Maria Gerassimova found that the skull was larger than normal male skulls from the region in the collection of the Moscow State University Institute of Anthropology. The facial section of the skull was significantly larger than typical Abkhaz types; the superciliary cranial contour being greater than the maximum of some fossil skulls, and are compared to the Neolithic Vovnigi II skulls of the fossil series at the Institute. It was also noted that the back of the cranium is of the “Homo sapiens” type, without a knot, and that the brow ridge was also of a normal size and had little marking. It was mentioned that the brow ridge of Khwit was even larger than that ascribed to Zana, the supposed Neanderthal; possibly as it was from a male. The overall peculiar features of the skull were also noted in the greater development of the skull’s two foramina mentale of the lower jaw (circular opening in jaw), the intrusive bones of the sagittal suture (across front to back, joins two side parietal bones), and the inca bone (separate skull bone often found in Inca mummies). Gerassiomova suggested that the skull should have a more detailed study.

And in 1975 after passing Drs Porshnev and Mashkovtsev Igor Burtsev as their follower arranged a wide expedition to the same cemetery, accompanied by the young anthropologist Leonid Yablonsky (now a Professor, Dr., the head of Department in Archaeological Institute of Academy of Scences). Such also, it had been difficult to obtain permission to disinter the graves in the cemetery. Fortunately an Igor’s old Abkhazian class-mate was appointed as a head of the District administration and was able to grant the necessary permission.

(I was warmly welcome by the Apollon’s father Nestor Dumava at that time, but even he didn’t know much about Zana, just heard some other long-livers tales, that is why Apollon’s story is just modern fairy-tales, that is why his affirmations were doubtful.) And again they were unable to locate definitely Zana’s grave either, despite digging in adverse conditions; seemingly endless downpours of rain, and in sticky clay earth. (D. Bayanov had no concern of Zana researches)

Though another female skeleton was unearthed also at the Tkhina cemetery close to Khwit’s grave. The body was buried on its side with the legs bent, with a mirror at the head indicating that it was female. Though the skull was broken and flattened, but it was seen definitely it was more robust than that of local women, and was noted to have a large projecting jaw. In the grave was found a rubber shoe branded 1888. From the date, this was assumed to be Zana, and was extremely exciting to researchers, as this would be the first time they had found the remains of an Abnauayu, or Almasty. Except…the anthropological analysis indicated that it was from an African woman who had somehow made it to the Caucuses…now what?

Next, a DNA check was due after the August 2006 Russian newspaper Komsomol’skaya Pravda had an article on the skull examinations from the supposed relict Almasty. Igor Bourtsev was invited to have both skulls analyzed during a visit to the U.S., and Bourtsev replied on the Mugamir Russian website that he had visited New York in 2006, July 13th through the 20th, when the DNA of the skulls was examined by the New York University. The results were made public on the National Geographic program, Is It Real? Russian Bigfoot. Burtsev was interviewed and talked with a U.S. geneticist Todd Disotell and an anthropologist Shara Bailey. The idea was that Zana and her son Khwit were actually Neanderthal hybrids with similar genomes that had possibly survived into modern times, especially now that the entire Neanderthal genome has been sequenced and examined by the Max Planck Institute’s Svante Paabo and his team in 2009 in Leipzig, Germany.

Burtsev said that the examination revealed that one of the skulls was of an Australoid type, that of Khwit, and that the other - female skull was of a completely unrelated African type…definitely not that of Khwit’s relative. The anthropologist Shara Bailey said that even though there was a similar DNA relationship between the two skulls, the female skull showed many distinct morphological differences, like a strongly defined lower face and tooth prognathism (stuck out, buck teeth).*

(*The same was said by the Russian anthropologists Debetz – re Khwit, and Lebedinskaya – re woman’s skull).

Unfortunately for some of us Bigfoot fans; the mitochondrial DNA that was analyzed by the geneticist Todd Disotell from both of the skulls indicated that the shared female maternal relationship was of a human origin; not mutations of the supposed Neanderthal species, as Burtsev thought, closing a thirty year debate between often belligerent hominologists.

Igor Burtsev has continued the investigation of the affair using every favorable opportunity. He visited the Zana location In 1978, 1988, 2004, 2008, 2010, 2015, and for those visits worked in the local archives, found and met with more and more Zana’s descendants. The line of Jonda has been discovered, and other lines’ signs found. And since 2008 Dmitry Pirkulov attended him in that research and since then does it actively…

Ray Crow: I wonder if Zana’s ghost is still searching for her son’s missing head and haunts the local villagers and Igor Burtsev? It is said that Igor Burtsev after digging through the muck took seriously ill with a strange disease that doctors were unable to diagnose for three weeks in the Central “Kremlin” hospital.

But scientific purpose to find the truth of the mysterious origin of Zana maybe is worth of such challenge of life…

As to Dr. Sykes analysis in 2012-13, it was not too deep to come to final conclusion. And the research is continued

Zana's Burial exhumed 1975

Shortly about Zana’s research

by Igor Burtsev

Zana supposedly was a wild forest woman who was caught in a forest in the second half of 19 century, domesticated and lived in Abkhazian (North Caucasus) village of Tkhina. She was having four children from various local men.

In 1962, zoologist Prof. A.A. Mashkovtsev from Moscow, Russia heard about Zana’s story and collected records about her from the old long-livers eyewitnesses. Then, thrice for years1964-65, Prof. B.F. Porshnev held excavations on the old patrimonial cemetery trying to find Zana’s grave. He expected that her bones contained some features of the Neanderthal man to whom he attributed the hominoids. However, he failed...

I continued the researches in Abkhazia since 1971. Many respectable people helped me in that work: the famous zoologist-paleontologist Prof. N.I.Burchak-Abramovich from Tbilisi; the well-known archaeologist Y.N.Voronov from Sukhumi who later became the vice-premier of Republic of Abkhazia and was meanly assasinated at the threshold of his house; the scientists from the Institute of Archaeology (Moscow) Vadim Bzhaniya and Leonid Yablonskiy (D.Sc., Professor, now he is heading one of the departments of this Institute).

As a result I found the grave of Zana’s son Khwit, held the its excavation in 1971, and in 1975 found and excavated a very old weird grave of a woman not far of Khwit’s grave: she was buried laid on her side with bent knees. It was different of the burial style of local people (I excavated 6 other graves too before the last one). And what was most important, the outlook of her skull differed much of local people’s ones. Her low part of the face was extremely prognative.

I continued the searches of Zana’s descendants in the years of 1978, 1988, 2004, 2008, 2010 (in May of 2008 with the help of Dmitry Pirkulov). As a result I have found almost all of Khwit’s descendants, as well as some descendants of the first Zana’s son Dzhonda. I also defined the location of the graves of her granddaughters from the daughter Kodzhanar (Odzhakar).

The genetic research of Khwit’s bones started only 30 years after the excavations. The research has been going very slowly due to the lack of financing. Only in the year of 2006 the New York University’s scientists made a preliminary analysis of the mitochondrial DNA of the both skulls, which was insufficient for the definition of the nature of Khwit’s mother Zana. Though that analysis led to conclusion about their close relationship, what could mean that the woman’s skull could belong to Zana herself.

Though the further, more deep examination of both the skulls has to be held to come to more definite conclusions – as re their relationship, so their specific genetic peculiarities, which can distinguish Zana from the modern man. That is why in September of 2012 Dmitry Pirkulov on my request handed over to Dr. Bryan Sykes a tooth from the Khwit’s skull (as well as the hair samples), and a new examination has began. And a tooth from the woman’s skull was handed over by me personally to Dr. Bryan Sykes with the hope him to continue the examination of both the skulls.

August 31, 2013. Moscow, Russia

Dr. Burtsev in Moscow, DNA testing of Zana and Kwhit, Copenhagen, Denmark Geo-Genetic Centre October 2018

Dr.Igor Burtsev Zana Research (narrative) 3/7/2018

Dear Collegues,

The discussion on the Bigfoot DNA initiated me to share with you some thoughts about this subject. Zana and Kwhit Link to pictures discussed here by Dr. Burtsev

There are some contradictions in DNA of Bigfoot studies by various researchers caused by the results claimed by Dr. Melba Ketchum – and a lot of critics of her work, directly or indirectly from several geneticists and other biologists.

In this regard I would like to base just on one example I am a person involved in: the study of two skulls connected with Zana case (attached photo #1) attached). One is of her son Khwit, and another one of a woman from the neighboring grave, very old and special one: in the contrary to the others (we exgumed on that time in 1975 some seven burials on one old clan cemetery), she was laid on the side, with legs bent (#2). Her skull is on the #3.

As to their morphology, the Khwit’s one was determined by anthropologists as of Australoid kind, the woman’s – as of an African type. (The reconstruction made by a Russian anthropologist - #4)

Two questions arose: 1. Do both skulls belonged to close relatives? (If yes, a woman’s one could appear Zana’s herself). 2. Were there any differences of Khwit’s mother from the local inhabitants and even of humans in general? If so, to which species could she belonged? We couldn’t answer these questions in the 20th Century. But due to development of genetic studies the hope appeared it the current century.

In the year of 2006 both the skulls were studied by a geneticist Dr. Todd Disotell and anthropologist Dr. Shara Bailey in NY University. After their study I visited them in NY (see the photo #5 attached). Todd’s answer to the first question was: Definitely YES! (Though Shara stayed doubt from the morphological view point). To the second question they answered: NO. (I need to note, that Todd was studying just a mtDNA, not the nuDNA. But as we understand now, we need the full genome to determine the species, including the nuDNA).

In a time period between 2010-2012 another geneticist - V. Yamshchikov - tried to find the DNA from the both skulls. (I visited him there too in 2011.) At least his conclusion on the first question was YES too – the skulls belonged to close relatives. If so - that woman's skull belonged to Zana herself. In this case her face could have the outlook shown on #7... Though, I don't insist on this, it's just a speculation, I understand.

In 2012 Dr. Brian Sykes due to financial assistance of a NG TV Program studied the samples from both the skulls. His results are more known by BF researchers, that is why I’ll mention only a few points to share. The samples from both the skulls were handed to him personally by the Russian researcher Dmitry Pirkulov who visited London city. After in August 2013 Dr. Sykes visited Moscow, we (Dmitri Bayanov, Dmitry Pirkulov, Michael Tractengerts and me) met with him in Darwin Museum, and I handed to him personally another tooth from the woman’s skull and some hairs from Siberia, definitely left by a bigfoot there on the track. Dr. Sykes ensured me that he’ll study the samples and inform us about results. He also promised to send us his book which was under preparing at that time…

The time of couple years passed after that. We learned about the Dr. Sykes’ book from media, some discussions arose about his conclusions. But no message from him, no book, no article we received since that our meeting in Moscow. I even don’t know, if he studied those samples which I handed to him…

And one important note: as to discussing his results of DNA study of skulls he emphasized definitely, that the skulls DIDN’T BELONG TO CLOSE RELATIVES! He repeated this not once to my questions while we were meeting and correspond at the first time after the meeting…

I attract your attention to this answers about the relativeness to show that there are principal contradiction in conclusions re such a not very complicated question as a determination of the close relativeness. In this regard how we can trust the conclusions re more complicated question as a definition of the species or the differences of the BF DNA and human DNA? And some other questions arising re impartiality of the researchers whom we have to trust…

I make MY OWN conclusion that such analyses yet are VERY MUCH subjective, depending of the attitude of a personality making such a job. And in this regard – let’s wait a little when the genetics as a science will be more transparent, and when geneticists will be more capable to repeat the study of samples and be impartial while checking the results of each other to say exactly what the bigfoots’ DNA shows.

Thanks for attention!

Igor Burtsev

Igor and I 9/9/18 Lincoln Nebraska

There are a few factors that affect this study. It is my understanding Dr.Sykes is retired and not connected to a lab. In order to conduct a new DNA study using the MUC7E haplo group, funding would be the catylst. It is my belief all the physical evidence exists Dr. Igor Burtsev (Zana and Kwhits skull) and the scientific method corroborated (DNA Study) in total this will meet the requirement to pursue private funding.

"I have provided the link to the Bigfoot equation, time will tell when science acknowledges it!"

Richard L. Soule

Links below of sources

https://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/34/10/2704/3988100?searchresult=1

1) Molecular Biology and Evolution, Volume 34, Issue 10, 1 October 2017, Pages 2704–2715,https://doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msx206

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/was-russian-bigfoot-actually-an-african-slave

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4719274/Biologists-clues-ghost-species-ancient-human.html#ixzz55g9WMXfw

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3025466/Was-19th-Century-Siberian-apewoman-yeti-6ft-6in-Russian-serf-outrun-horse-not-human-according-DNA-tests.html

http://www.bigfootencounters.com/creatures/zana2.htm

http://www.historytoday.com/ole-j-benedictow/black-death-greatest-catastrophe-ever

https://www.facebook.com/russian.yeti/ Director Dr. Igor Burtsev

http://www.cryptozoonews.com/russians-icon/ Russian Research (Loren Coleman)

Zana DNA Study update June 2021

Margaryan, A., et al., The genomic origin of Zana of Abkhazia. Advanced Genetics 2, e10051; DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.10051). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ggn2.10051

All,

I just wanted to congratulate Igor and Vladimir for the completed Zana study. A tremendous achievement both scientifically and academically. The confirmation of Zana and Kwhit’s genetic relationship was a fifty year long contribution that Dr. Burtsev had pursued diligently! This is an astounding achievement for both of them!

I inserted the excerpt of Vladimir’s qualifying remarks regarding the study. I wanted to make some comments to put context to the significance of these findings and what this means for future studies.

First, confirmation of the maternal relationship to Zana and Kwhit. Both, identifying Zana and then linking them genetically as maternal mother and son is significant. This validates the genetic relationship and confirms the previous history of these two individual family members.

Secondly, the Sub Saharan Africa connection that repeats earlier identification from the Dr. Sykes study and establishes additional identification to groups within Africa.This validates previous research and gives specific direction for future genetic studies.

Thirdly, although the study was unable to identify specific archaic introgressions it still does not count out the MUC7E hypothesis.

In conclusion, the bioinformatics as Vladimir has stated could be developed for an additional study to identify other parameters in understanding who Zana really was.

Originally, blood from the descendants of Kwhit was used for the Sykes study. (Also a tooth from his skull) A future study could focus on mucous in the identification of MUC7E within Zana’s descendants. Then make the connection to the archaic introgression and validate this Homins genetic contribution. Acknowledging Zana as more than just a African Slave. She would then represent a unique archaic Homin.

I would like to post this study on my website and intend to articulate the significance of these findings.

Igor or Vladimir, if either of you have additional thoughts on the study completed or future studies. I would like to publish that also along with this study.

Again, it’s not often we see a watershed moment in our research! I just wanted to acknowledge this to our group and recognize that this a fruition of Igor, Dmitri and Vladimir’s contributions to Hominology.

My Regards,

Richard Soule Hominologist HX

April 2022 discussion of Zana study (E- mail excerpts)

My current interest is focused on applying the available bioinformatics tools to further analysis of the only available and most valuable datasets from the Khwit and Zana case, which encompass the whole genomes of both individuals. The datasets were recovered in the M. Thomas Gilbert laboratory at the Center of Evolutionary Hologenomics at the University of Copenhagen and is generously made available through public databases. The results of this work were published in a peer-reviewed journal following the established peer-review scrutiny (Margaryan, A., et al., The genomic origin of Zana of Abkhazia. Advanced Genetics 2, e10051; DOI: 10.1002/ggn2.10051).

Although the study was biased by the limited amount of sequencing data that could be generated with available at the time internal funding, which narrowed the choice of bioinformatics methodology and usable bioinformatics tools, for the first time it allowed to pull the well-known yet anecdotal case out of the depth of the internet largely ignored by the scientific community to make it acceptable for scientific discussion and analysis. While details of the methodological limitations that resulted in biased conclusions are outside the scope of this letter of intent, I want to state here that I am not satisfied with the conclusions of the manuscript, and I am trying to use other available bioinformatics tools to minimize or avoid the bias in analysis of the datasets. Further development of the case is clearly needed, but this crucially depends on funding to generate more sequencing data from the biological samples archived in the laboratory. Clearly, in such a case the head of the laboratory, Dr. M. Thomas Gilbert, must be involved, but if such development is of interest to the project, I am happy to contribute to the best of my capabilities. Vladimir Yamshchikov PHD Geneticist

© Copyright The Nox Gigas Study Richard Soule Hominologist HX MMXXII