Abstract

Children who claim to remember previous lives make statements about those lives that vary greatly in the amount, specificity, and accuracy of detail. Most cases so far reported have included enough detailed statements to permit the identification of a particular deceased person whose life corresponds to the S's statements. In some cases, however, the S has given insufficient detail to permit such identification. The importance of these "unsolved" cases is discussed, and some illustrative examples are presented. Several ways are discussed in which the investigation and analysis of such cases may contribute to an understanding of all cases of the reincarnation type. Brief reports are given of 7 unsolved cases in Lebanon, India, Sri Lanka, and Burma. In each of the cases, the amount and specificity of detail included in the child's statements seemed to warrant a search to identify the "previous personality"; but despite extensive inquiries, all 7 cases remain unsolved. Following each case report, comments are offered about features of the case that may have contributed to the failure to identify a person corresponding to the S's statements. (5 ref)