In the recent
BBC Radio showthat included a discussion on the fate of Amelia Earhart, Dr Tom Crouch of the Smithsonian institution dismissed the female/gender specific related artefacts found at the seven site by suggesting that the island had had a population of up to 200 people, been inhabited until the 1960’s and was a small area of land. In a nut shell they could have come from anywhere.
In reply to a post
helping to understand Ric nicely explains that “any artefact, taken by itself, can be explained away”. This got me thinking, where might these items have come from if they come together, as a package?
1. Visiting female of European/American origin – Well we have evidence that a number of ladies did in fact visit and stay on the island. Paul Laxtons wife was a visitor and resident. Laxton tells the tale of a
visiting American Lady who fell afoul of the plumbing arrangements . When the island was evacuated a Ms Roddy Cordon was present along with some girl guides, one who is named as Heather Smith [1][2] I'm sure there were many more un recorded lady visitors.
It is possible that these ladies may have had in their possession makeup items from the mid 1930’s but how likely is it that they would have dropped or left them at the seven site and why would some of them been in fire features.
2. Native woman –There does not seem to be any evidence that native women wore western makeup and the nature of the settlement makes it less likely that they would have access to it. This doesn’t mean that a native woman may have obtained some items of makeup and experimented with it at the seven site so as not to be disturbed. Leaving the items behind or trying to destroy them in a fire.
3. Cross dressing male – This was not socially acceptable in the 1930’s and 40’s and could explain the presence of the gender specific items in a male environment. A cross dressing male would need to find a secluded spot to practice their fetish, away from prying eyes. We know that Gallagher had a ‘house here’ and also the Loran station was nearby. Could someone cross dressing have kept their items at the seven site and again try using fire to cover their tracks?
4. Over wash by sea –Items deposited by Storm surge, doesn’t explain how the bottles got burnt in the fire features though.
5. Beach combed items – found by Native whilst beach combing and taken to seven site and dumped.
How plausible any of these are I don’t know but in the absence of a smoking gun how else do you explain the gender specific items at the seven site?
[1] 7 Years of Island Hopping ISBM 0952424711, 9780952424710
[2] Dr Tom Kings Novel 13 Bones also mentions this in its final chapters and has an extract from Ms Cordons book.