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disc was placed in front of the mouth so that the dead could speak to their disc was placed in front of the mouth book details the 1947 expedition of the article titled "UFOs in Prehistory?" in so that the dead could speak to their English scientist Dr Kary] Robin- its July edition. Dr Dendl has so far ancestors. Evans, who supposedly reached the not been able to find the original The story that stone discs with Baian-Kara-Ula mountains and made Chinese or Japanese source, but it is hieroglyphs were found in a tomb is contact with the Dropa. According to clear that the story is much older than therefore not only plausible but the book, the tribe comprised several 1978. likely —considering, too, that Bi discs hundred members, all dwarfish in Furthermore, the story reported in often carried inscriptions. appearance and four feet (1.22 metres) Sungods in Exile of an expedition In 1974, a tourist, Austrian engineer tall on average. Dr Robin-Evans coming across dwarfish people in the Ernst Wegerer, saw and photographed stayed there for half a year, learned the Baian-Kara-Ula region has non- several discs in the Banpo Museum in Dropa's language and was introduced _ fictional counterparts. Dr Dendl found Xian, in Shensi Province. But this begs to the history and traditions of the a 1933 clipping about a Chinese the question of whether these discs, dwarfish beings, who told him that confrontation with dwarflike beings. which are similar in description to their ancestors had come from Sirius, Though some might argue that the those reportedly discovered in Baian- of all places. location was in "Tibet", at that time Kara-Ula, were "just" Bi discs or actual ‘It is now known that the book was Baian-Kara-Ula was mistakenly examples of the ones found in the largely science fiction dressed up as__ labelled as being part of Tibet. The mountain cave during the 1937-38 non-fiction, but many people had article relates how a woman, only 1.2 expedition. already decided that the Dropa story metres tall, was seen being escorted by was bogus—especially those who Chinese soldiers and that she and her Descendants of the Dropa erroneously argue that the book was the group were being held as slaves. There Many people incorrectly believe that _ first to mention the "ridiculous" story. was also a statement that they were the story of the Dropa tribe was first It would seem that Sungods in Exile cannibals, but this might merely have aired in a 1978 book titled Sungods in either was meant to cash in on stories been an excuse to cover for their Exile, edited by David Agamon. This about the Dropa that were in circulation inhumane treatment. for a few years before it | Most importantly, the existence of was published, or—if the Dropa—or a tribe like them—has you like a conspiratorial been confirmed. In November 1995, explanation—was meant the Associated Press (AP) stated that to discredit the story. some 120 "dwarfish beings" had been Why? discovered in Sichuan Province, in a Perhaps it was merely so-called "Village of the Dwarfs". because China was a (Some sceptics cast doubt on the AP communist nation and account, though it is easily verifiable. any interest in things In fact, on 9 November 1995, the Chinese was officially German publication Bild ran a report discouraged at the time titled "Das Dorf der Zwerge — by western governments. Umweltgifte schuld?" ["The Village of But it was definitely the Dwarfs — environmental pollution not a hoax—at least not to blame?"] about the discovery.) The one executed in 1978. tallest adult in this village was three The Berlin-based foot 10 inches (1.15 m) tall; the historian Dr Jorg Dendl smallest was two foot one inch (63.5 has been able to trace the cm) tall. first mention of the — The location of the village is only a Dropa story to 1962, few hundred kilometres from the when a monthly Baian-Kara-Ula mountain range. , magazine for However, despite China's becoming i . vegetarians, Das more open, this entire area including : _ vegetarische Universum the village remains off limits to Rare 1947 photo of the royal couple at Baian- ("The Vegetarian foreigners. Kara-Ula, claimed descendants of the Dropa. Universe"), published an Hartwig Hausdorf, who has been on ancestors. The story that stone discs with hieroglyphs were found in a tomb is therefore not only plausible but likely —considering, too, that Bi discs often carried inscriptions. In 1974, a tourist, Austrian engineer Ernst Wegerer, saw and photographed several discs in the Banpo Museum in Xian, in Shensi Province. But this begs the question of whether these discs, which are similar in description to those reportedly discovered in Baian- Kara-Ula, were "just" Bi discs or actual examples of the ones found in the mountain cave during the 1937-38 expedition. Descendants of the Dropa Many people incorrectly believe that the story of the Dropa tribe was first aired in a 1978 book titled Sungods in Exile, edited by David Agamon. This Rare 1947 photo of the royal couple at Baian- Kara-Ula, claimed descendants of the Dropa. 66 ¢ NEXUS www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2008