The Somerton Man

The Taman Shud Case, also known as the "Mystery of the Somerton Man", is an unsolved case revolving around an unidentified man found dead at 6:30a.m., December 1, 1948 on Somerton beach in Adelaide, Australia.

Considered "one of Australia's most profound mysteries", the case has been the subject of intense speculation over the years regarding the identity of the victim, the events leading up to his death and the cause of death.

While scrutiny of the case has been mainly centred in Australia, there has also been coverage of the case internationally

When police arrived, they noted no disturbance to the body and that the man's left arm was in a straight position and the right arm was bent double. An unlit cigarette was behind his ear and a half-smoked cigarette was on the right collar of his coat held in position by his cheek. A search of his pockets revealed a used bus ticket from the city to St. Leonards in Glenelg, an unused second-class rail ticket from the city to Henley Beach, a narrow aluminium American comb, a half full packet of Juicy Fruit chewing gum, an Army Club cigarette packet containing Kensitas cigarettes (a different brand) and a quarter full box of Bryant & May matches. The bus stop for which the ticket was used was around 250 metres south of the body's location.

Witnesses came forward to declare that on the evening of 30 November, they had seen an individual resembling the dead man in the same spot near the Crippled Children's Home where the corpse was later found. A couple who saw him around 7pm noted that they saw him extend his right arm to its fullest extent and then drop it limply. Another couple who saw him from 7:30pm to 8pm, during which time the street lights had come on, recounted that they did not see him move during the half hour he was in view of them although they did have the impression that his position had changed. Although it was commented between themselves that he must be dead because he was not reacting to the mosquitoes, they had thought he was drunk or asleep, and thus did not investigate further.

When the body was discovered at 6:30am the next day it was lying in the position witnesses had observed the previous day.

Around the same time as the Inquest, a piece of paper with the words "Tamam Shud" printed on it was found in a secret pocket concealed within a trouser pocket.  Public library officials were called in to translate the note, who identified it as a phrase, meaning "ended" or "finished", found on the last page of a collection of poems called “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam”.

In the back of the book were faint pencil markings of five lines of capital letters with the second struck out. The strike out is now considered significant with its similarity to the fourth line possibly indicating a mistake and thus, possible proof the letters are code:

WRGOABABD

MLIAOI

WTBIMPANETP

MLIABOAIAQC

ITTMTSAMSTGAB

When the code was analysed by the Australian Department of Defence in 1978, they made the following statements about the code:

• There are insufficient symbols to provide a pattern.
• The symbols could be a complex substitute code or the meaningless response to a disturbed mind.
• It is not possible to provide a satisfactory answer.