I think some human cultures do, in fact, use human waste as fertilizer. Certainly nightsoil collection in 18th and 19th century cities was practiced with that in mind.
However, outside the Norse, most stories of giants I am familiar with involve solitary individuals, at best maintaining a flock of sheep or other domestic animals, often preying upon human populations. Their waste would be unlikely to accumulate in any particular abundance. These individuals may, however, be quite aberrant; almost all such reported giants are male. This suggests a social structure far different from human, and implies that they may be obligate carnivores.
One might also note that Loxodonta and Elephas both seem to support beetles that consume primarily their dung. Archaeological evidence further exists that the same was true of Mammathus, Mammut, Megalonyx, Eremotherium, Nothrotheriops, and Glossotherium. Perhaps the giants also support their own set of beetles?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-07-01 10:29 am (UTC)However, outside the Norse, most stories of giants I am familiar with involve solitary individuals, at best maintaining a flock of sheep or other domestic animals, often preying upon human populations. Their waste would be unlikely to accumulate in any particular abundance. These individuals may, however, be quite aberrant; almost all such reported giants are male. This suggests a social structure far different from human, and implies that they may be obligate carnivores.
One might also note that Loxodonta and Elephas both seem to support beetles that consume primarily their dung. Archaeological evidence further exists that the same was true of Mammathus, Mammut, Megalonyx, Eremotherium, Nothrotheriops, and Glossotherium. Perhaps the giants also support their own set of beetles?