Mysteries of the Crystal Skulls

A crystal skull is a human skull model that was sculpted or carved out from a milky crystal rock. Archeologists have excavated around thirteen crystal skulls in Central and South America and also in parts of Mexico. There are evidences to show these skulls were found near the ruins of the ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations. The historians also claim some of the skulls had links to the ancient civilization of Peru. Theses crystal skulls are between 5000 and 36,000 years old. Crystal skulls are one of the unsolved mysteries of the ancient world. Many indigenous people claim these crystal skulls have magical and healing properties. However, there is no evidence to support their claim. Their origin is a baffling mystery. Here we look at some of the crystal skulls and the mysteries associated with them.

Mitchell-Hedges Skull

An English archeologist, Albert Mitchell Hedges, and his daughter Anna discovered a crystal skull among the debris of the Mayan temple altar. The skull was made of rock crystal and was well polished. However, the lower jaw of the skull was missing. Later it was discovered at short distance from the site.

The smooth points on the crystal skull could be easily moved. An interesting fact is, those who had touched the skull had experienced very strange feelings. The first person to experience strange things was Anna.

She said, she dreamt of the life of the native Indians who had lived centuries ago. She was able to describe her dreams in detail and she also said she could hear the Indians speaking. The strange dreams haunted her only if she kept the crystal skull near her bedside table. If it was removed from there, she experienced no strange feelings or dreams.

In 1960s, after her father’s death, Anna handed over the crystal skull to the scientists because she believed the skull was too perfect to be carved out by the ancient Indians.

An art critic, Frank Dordland, on investigation discovered the crystal skull weighing 5.13 kg, 203 mm long and 125.4 mm wide, was made from whole crystal. The skull was made of various combinations of lenses, prisms and channels. This complicated system created unusual optical effects. He handed over the skull to Hewlett-Packard.

The experts of Hewlett-Packard on analysis discovered that the crystal skull could have been cut only with diamond. The reason is the hardness of rock crystal is slightly lower than diamond, topaz and corundum. The skull consisted of three or four joints and even the lower jaw has a joint. The crystal skull has contradicted all the laws of physics. Today, it is kept in the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Anna Mitchell Hedges is in her eighties and resides in Canada.

Mayan Crystal Skull

Mayan Crystal Skull and amethyst skull were discovered in the early 20th century in Mexico and Guatemala. These skulls were smuggled to the US by a Mayan priest. The Amethyst skull was made of purple quartz and the crystal skull is made from rock crystal. Both were studied at the labs of Hewlett-Packard. These skulls were known to have cut against the axis of the crystal. These skulls looked alike.

The other crystal skulls include British and Paris Crystal skull, Texas or Max crystal skull, Aztec skull and so on.

The only skull that resembles Mitchell-Hedges skull is Rose Quartz skull. This was found near border of Guatemala and Honduras. It is slightly larger in size than the Mitchell-Hedges skull. However, it reveals a wonderful craftsmanship. Why and how these crystal skulls were made is still a mystery.