The Height Hierarchy

[Pharnavaziani]

Gregor as 7'7" works - I'm pretty sure he is canonically described as "closer to 8 feet than 7". This is the easiest height to believe, as it is indeed closer to 8 feet than 7, and would still have him a head above even the tallest of his contemporaries without making him quite superhuman. I always also picture him as being rather stocky - "The Mountain that Rides" does not suggest a slender man. The image of this broad, hugely muscled giant would have been pretty terrifying.

Dany is always described as being 'slight' and small, but does anyone directly comment on her height? Given the image a ruler must project, I'm most interested in knowing the heights of her, Faegon, Euron, and Jon.

[Alester Florent]

i) there's lots of references to people being shorter during the medieval period and that is certainly true...

It's not even true. It's one of those myths, like the Flat Earth, that just won't go away. The average height in the Middle Ages - particularly the Early/High Middle Ages - wasn't far off the average height now (which is still lower than you might expect), assuming a decent diet and absence of serious disease, which applies to pretty much all the mentioned characters.

Edward IV was a big guy at 6'4. But he'd still be a big guy now. Factor in that he was probably built like a brick, well, brick (in his youth, at least) and that he was the king, so everyone will have gone out of their way to talk him up, and of course he'll have a reputation for being a big chap. It doesn't mean everyone else was a midget.

Moreover, the height of the freakishly large Westerosi characters actually seems to be limited to a handful of families: the Cleganes, the Baratheons, the Umbers, and the Duncan-the-Talls. It's entirely probable that the size of these characters and the success of their families is more than coincidental; moreover the way that ASoIaF genetics work probably factors into it.

Not to mention we have giants, for heaven's sake, and we're quibbling over a couple of inches in the 6-7 foot range for full-blooded humans?

[BiPolar Bear]

To the people saying it's not possible for that many tall people to be around, just look at the NBA. Only a small percentage of people are in the NBA, yet you have 7'6 Yao, 7'2 beast Shaq, 7'0 quick agile Dirk, etc.

[Ser Areo Mace]

To the people saying it's not possible for that many tall people to be around, just look at the NBA. Only a small percentage of people are in the NBA, yet you have 7'6 Yao, 7'2 beast Shaq, 7'0 quick agile Dirk, etc.

And pretty much everyone of them is that tall due to genetics and not gigantism.

[Morienthar]

Gregor as 7'7" works - I'm pretty sure he is canonically described as "closer to 8 feet than 7". This is the easiest height to believe, as it is indeed closer to 8 feet than 7, and would still have him a head above even the tallest of his contemporaries without making him quite superhuman. I always also picture him as being rather stocky - "The Mountain that Rides" does not suggest a slender man. The image of this broad, hugely muscled giant would have been pretty terrifying.

Dany is always described as being 'slight' and small, but does anyone directly comment on her height? Given the image a ruler must project, I'm most interested in knowing the heights of her, Faegon, Euron, and Jon.

Yes,Gregor needs to be at least half a foot and half taller than the greatsword he wields,which is described as being 6 feet long.

The Actress who plays her is about 160 cm tall i.e 5' 3......So,I'd say as a 16 year old who's pretty much done growing would be about that height.

As for Jon he too is about 16 at this point,So maybe around 173cm(5' 7-5' 8) would be the kind of height I'd expect from him.

[Lord Flashheart]

\

To the people saying it's not possible for that many tall people to be around, just look at the NBA. Only a small percentage of people are in the NBA, yet you have 7'6 Yao, 7'2 beast Shaq, 7'0 quick agile Dirk, etc.

Imagine being someone of average height having to fight Shaq in full plate?

[ktoth29]

The biggest problem I have is the wall at 700 feet tall. Thats higher than most skyscrapers.. and people walk up the steps? I suppose if you added a few inches every year for millennia, it would be possible, but it would also have to be quite wide. I take it as a hundred feet or so of structure on top of another couple hundred feet of an embankment or ridge.

Generally the heights of people don't bother me, because we are talking about the outliers in a nation of tens of millions. Every knight is the equivalent of a professional athlete, 1 in 10,000 so to speak. The only height that bothers me is Gregor at 8 feet. I'd peg him closer to 7, otherwise there is no way Sandor at 6'6 would be able to stand up to him. It would be like a fight between a flyweight and a heavyweight. Gregor would cut him in half. I picture Sandor about 6'6 240 and Gregor about 7'2 320. (Basically as Rory McCann and Conan Stevens)

[LordStoneheart]

What dragons, there's no dragons in these books!

You mean Dany's wyverns?

Nope. They're called dragons so they're dragons. :p

[Buckthorn]

How tall was Mag the Mighty?

[The BlackBear]

How tall was Mag the Mighty?

14' I think?

[Ser Areo Mace]

How tall was Mag the Mighty?

twelve feet I believe. Wun Wun is 14ft IIRC, and is said to be bigger than Mag and most of the Giants.

[Buckthorn]

twelve feet I believe. Wun Wun is 14ft IIRC, and is said to be bigger than Mag and most of the Giants.

Cool, thanks. But why was Mag chief of the giants when Wun Wun is bigger than him? Was it due to Mag the Mighty's seniority?

[Veltigar]

Long Live the METRIC SYSTEM !!! :commie: :commie: :commie: :commie: :commie: :commie: :commie: :commie: :commie: :commie:

[Greymoon]

my own two cents:

Myth debunked: Our medieval ancestors were just as tall as us says a new study [...]

Judged by the height of the doorframes he built, medieval man was assumed to be vertically challenged.

But after examining the bones of those who lived in the Middle Ages, scientists have discovered a much bigger truth.

Evidence gathered from 3,000 skeletons reveals that human height has varied little over the past 1,000 years.

From the 10th century through to the 19th, the average height of adult men was 5ft 7in or 170cm - just 2in below today's average.

Women were an average of 5ft 2in or 158cm - just over an inch shorter than today.

All the bones in the study came from the medieval St Peter's Church in Barton upon Humber, North East Lincolnshire. [...]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-457506/Myth-debunked-Our-medieval-ancestors-just-tall-says-new-study.html

So...a tall man (during Middle age, in the UK) would be over 5ft 7 (170 cm), and a tall woman would be above the 5ft 2 average (158cm).

Next question: what's tall? with 6ft 4 (195cm) D's not as tall as uncle G. nor as tall as cousin C. who are at least over 6ft 6 (they are both over 2m tall, but after that, we stoped asking), and cousin M, brother of cousin C. is considered "small" though he has a respective 6ft 1 (185 cm). Aunt M. is probably taller than cousin M. though she won't admit to it. And grandma G. is a little over 5ft 7. Needles to say, that B. with her 5ft 1, is considered as tiny as a 10 year old child. Anyway, my point: if everyone is "tall" the least tall of all would be "small." So...what's "tall"?

Since we don't know whether Westerosis are generally tall, or generally small, we can't really start guessing their height.

[mankytoes]

How do we know a Westeros foot equals an earth foot, eh?

[Musashisamurai]

At 7'10" Gregor's feet and legs would fracture constantly.

Its been theorized his headaches were a symptom if giantism.

Are their feet the same as ours though-measurement wise? I mean, napoleon was actually average height, but tye french and british had different feet measurement systems so the british intially thought he was half a foot shoulder and it took

[The Fallen]

` I believe a Westerosi foot is equal to our foot. Just like Westerosi water and air are the same as ours.

I don't think all of Westeros is tall or taller. Otherwise these men wouldn't stand out. We've only met a small percentage of the overall population (and mostly the nobility).

The Mountain is over 7'6". The Hound is around 6'8" and Bronze Young is said to be his height. Robert & Brienne are 6'6". Lem Lemoncloak is said to be able to look the Hound in the eye. Hodor is 7'0" and the Greatjon is said to be his height (and the Smalljon is said to be around his father's height). Renly and Stannis are slightly shorter than Robert (who is 6'6") so I give them 6'4", with Renly muscled like Robert and Stannis being slim.

Ned is described as average height, so I would peg him at 5'9"-5'10". I would give Robb a similar height with Jon at an inch lower. I would give Jaime around 6'2"-6'3". Joff was probably already 6'0" at 12 and was noticeable taller than both Robb and Jon. I would say the Red Viper is around 6'0" tall. I would say Quentyn Martell was around 5'6"-5'7".

Now how about the 'big man' Arch Yronwood? I'd say 6'4". With Drinkwater at 6'0"-6'1".

We have to realize that 6'0" is tall, with the really tall beginning around 6'3"-6'4". I have a friend who is 6'2" and we go out he's usually one of, if not, the tallest guy in the room. And this is in NYC, which has a large population and many tall people. The only guys taller than him are the 6'4" guys, and they aren't common. Anyone 6'5"-6'8" is just a huge guy. Never mind those taller than 6'8", they're pretty much giants.

[Ser Areo Mace]

Cool, thanks. But why was Mag chief of the giants when Wun Wun is bigger than him? Was it due to Mag the Mighty's seniority?

Seniority and possibly being tougher, Mag could have seem more fights. I don't know how old Wun Wun is.

` I believe a Westerosi foot is equal to our foot. Just like Westerosi water and air are the same as ours.

I don't think all of Westeros is tall or taller. Otherwise these men wouldn't stand out. We've only met a small percentage of the overall population (and mostly the nobility).

The Mountain is over 7'6". The Hound is around 6'8" and Bronze Young is said to be his height. Robert & Brienne are 6'6". Lem Lemoncloak is said to be able to look the Hound in the eye. Hodor is 7'0" and the Greatjon is said to be his height (and the Smalljon is said to be around his father's height). Renly and Stannis are slightly shorter than Robert (who is 6'6") so I give them 6'4", with Renly muscled like Robert and Stannis being slim.

Ned is described as average height, so I would peg him at 5'9"-5'10". I would give Robb a similar height with Jon at an inch lower. I would give Jaime around 6'2"-6'3". Joff was probably already 6'0" at 12 and was noticeable taller than both Robb and Jon. I would say the Red Viper is around 6'0" tall. I would say Quentyn Martell was around 5'6"-5'7".

Now how about the 'big man' Arch Yronwood? I'd say 6'4". With Drinkwater at 6'0"-6'1".

We have to realize that 6'0" is tall, with the really tall beginning around 6'3"-6'4". I have a friend who is 6'2" and we go out he's usually one of, if not, the tallest guy in the room. And this is in NYC, which has a large population and many tall people. The only guys taller than him are the 6'4" guys, and they aren't common. Anyone 6'5"-6'8" is just a huge guy. Never mind those taller than 6'8", they're pretty much giants.

I'm 6'2" and for the most part I'm taller than others, but I have a good amount of friends that are taller than I am. Three of my closest friends are 6'3"-6'5". It's not uncommon for me to meet people taller and larger than myself and I'm a pretty big guy.

I think the Big Man is closer to 6'6" IIRC. He seems like a clone of young Robert without the superhuman strength, though he seems to be a fairly strong man himself.

[mankytoes]

I'd go lower than most, I'd say six six for Sandor, six four for Robert, Brienne just below that. Hodor a full seven foot, Greatjon six ten, Smalljon six nine. Mountain seven four. People would exaggerate heights a bit, a massive built guy at seven four would look truly giant. Ned and Jon five nine, Robb five ten.

[Skoboe]

Isn't it strange how Sierra Leone, Bangladesh, the USA and sci-fi/fantasy books are the only places you'll see feet and inches used?

:ack: