Stuff To Blow Your Mind From the Vault: The Hogs of Hell, Part 2
Nov 1, 2025
Dive into the fascinating world of demonic hogs and real-life 'hell pigs.' Discover the prehistoric entelodonts and their uncanny resemblance to modern-day nightmares. Unpack the unsettling aspects of paleontological reconstructions and how they shape our understanding of these creatures. Explore their predatory behaviors, bone-crushing abilities, and the cultural significance of pigs in horror media. From ancient fossil records to folklore, this discussion brings a grotesque yet captivating perspective on swine.
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Fossil 'Hell Pigs' Were Real Megafauna
- Entelodonts (so-called “hell pigs”) were a diverse extinct family of artiodactyls with gigantic skulls and powerful jaws.
- They appeared in the Eocene and thrived through the Oligocene before dying out in the early Miocene.
Deinohyus: The Gigantic Skulled Beast
- Deinohyus/Deodon were enormous entelodonts with skulls up to ~90 cm and massive shoulder humps.
- Estimates place their weight comparable to Clydesdale horses or large brown bears.
Weird Bony Protrusions And Uncanny Build
- Entelodont skulls bear strange bony knobs that likely anchored facial muscles or offered protection.
- The mix of a fearsome head and relatively slender, hoofed legs creates an unsettling mismatch.
