Those images ranged from exotic animals to flowers to geometric figures to foreign writing.

He was a native of Albania, in the Ottoman Empire, however his family was ethnically Greek and they were Christians.

He was able to speak Greek, Arabic, Persian, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and English.

He and eleven companions fell into the hands of the Royal Burmese armed forces troops.

He eventually escaped and spent four months travelling through southern China before reaching Amoy.

He then traveled to British Hong Kong, took a ship through the Suez Canal, and then went to Vienna, Austrian Empire for a lengthy period.

The academics who examined him did notice several variations in the story he told, and somewhat doubted that the process took only three months.

[8] After being examined by the academic community, Costentenus began to exhibit himself in western Europe.

[11] In June 1878, while again on tour with Barnum a fight broke between Costentenus and the giant Colonel Routh Goshen.

[14] When not exhibiting himself as near to naked as could be allowed, Costentenus dressed heavily and wore expensive jewelry.

At the time, he was planning to go to Europe for treatment for his failing eyesight, but wanted to do so as an American citizen.