There is a old legend of intricately carved crystal skulls that were hidden around the world to protect a great secret. these skulls are said to find their origins in pre-columbian Mesoamerica, thousands of years in the past. according to the legend, the skulls imbued with magical powers and possess vast and important knowledge for mankind, but only when we're ready for it. If brought back together, the legend says they will reveal information which can save the human race. this is the story of the crystal skulls...
The legend of the crystal skulls is said to have crossed through cultures and times. From the Aztec, Mixtec, Mayans and other tribes of First Peoples in the Americas, legends say there are 13 crystal skulls that exist in the world today including the British Skull, the Paris Skull, the Texas Skull, the E.T. Skull, the Rose Quartz Skull, the Brazilian Skull and the Atlantean "Compassion" Skull. A Cherokee Medicine Man, by the name of Harley Swift-Deer Reagan was quoted as saying:
"The skulls were kept inside a pyramid in a formation of tremendous power known as the Ark. The Ark was comprised of the twelve skulls from each of the sacred planets kept in a circle, with the thirteenth skull, the largest, placed in the center of this formation. This thirteenth skull represents the collective consciousness of all the worlds. It connects up the knowledge of all the sacred planets."
It is interesting to note that in modern times, we have the technology to use quartz crystal to read and write data for computers and the little amount we do use is able to hold a lot of information. If the legend is true that these skulls possess knowledge, perhaps they came from a highly advanced ancient civilization that had computer technology far superior to our own. perhaps one day when we have the technology we would be able to extract the data that might be stored within these crystal skulls.
In addition to supposedly being depositories of vast ancient knowledge, these skulls are also said have some sort of supernatural healing property and the ability to expand ones psychic powers while in the presence of a skull. The common theme among the crystal skulls legend is that at during a time of great change in our history, the 13 crystal skulls will be reunited begin new era on the earth, essentially heralding us from the old world into the new.
Perhaps the most famous crystal skull, however is the highly detailed and life-sized Mitchell-Hedges Skull. Allegedly in 1923 famous British adventurer, F.A. Mitchell-Hedges and his adopted daughter, Anna were on an unofficial expedition to British Honduras, now Belize, to the ancient Mayan archaeological site of Lubaantun. The story goes that while exploring a partially collapsed mayan pyramid 16 year old, Anna, is said to have noticed a glimmering and glassy object on an altar that she was unable to reach due to some collapsed walls.
The archaeological team was finally able to access the object on Annas 17th birthday – January 1st, 1924. The object was revealed to be a life-sized carving of a human skull that appeared to be missing its jawbone. Three months later, the team found a nearby crystalline jaw bone carving that matched up perfectly with the skull. The Mitchell-Hedges Skull would become known as the "Skull of Dunn" after one of Mitchell-Hedges Associates. It was later renamed the "Skull of Doom", Some think as a way to ward off people trying to steal it.
Later in his life, Mitchell-Hedges wrote an autobiographic called "Danger My Ally." The following quote was redacted in the U.S. version, but can be found in the original U.K. version. He wrote:
“The Skull of Doom is made of pure rock crystal and according to scientists it must have taken 150 years, generation after generation working all days of their lives, patiently rubbing down with sand an immense block of rock crystal until the perfect Skull emerged.
“It is at least 3,600 years old and according to legend was used by the High Priest of the Maya when performing esoteric rites. It is said that when he willed death with the help of the skull, death invariably followed. It has been described as the embodiment of all evil. I do not wish to try and explain this phenomena [sic].”
Mitchell-Hedges died in 1959 and afterwards his adopted daughter, Anna went on to spread the story of this mysterious archaeological find. Anna had made many claims that the skull had supernatural properties surrounding it. One such claim was that it could bring about visions. Another was that it could cure cancer. Further claims included the "willing death" ability to kill a man, which begs the question, who died and why was she not investigated for murder? Another claim was that it gave her a premonition of J.F.K's assassination in 1963.
As the years went on, skeptics and researchers pointed out minor, but important inconsistencies in the story of the Mitchell-Hedges Skull. In 1971, Anna let the skull be analyzed by Hewlett Packard's crystal lab in Santa Clara, CA. The lab conducted two significant tests: the first submerged the skull into a bath of index-matching fluid, which has an index of refraction, close to another object, like a lens or fiber optic. When light passes through two substances/objects with the same index, the light is neither refracted nor reflected. The second test was viewing the skull under polarized light. These tests determined that the skull was all one piece of crystal. Previous thoughts suspected that it was comprised of 3 different pieces.
Despite HP's findings, they still were unable to date the crystal, as inorganic materials cannot be carbon dated. Ultimately this raised further questions into its origins. some experts maintained that it was created among ancient Mesoamerican societies like the Aztecs, Mixtecs and Mayans. Others had the school of thought that the skull was created in Egypt, Tibet or China and may have been roughed out some 12,000 years ago and used in ancient religious ceremonies.
Then there were the skeptics; some believed that the original Mitchell-hedges found or acquired the skull before Anna's birthday back in 1924 and staged it for her to find. Others argued she did not find the skull at all and the whole thing was made up. Furthermore, based on evidence at the time, skeptics believed the skull was in fact purchased at an auction in the 1940's.
Interestingly In 1970, Anna stated she was, "told by the few remaining Maya that the skull was
used by the high priest to will death." Bringing it back to one of the main reasons why her father dubbed the artifact, "The Skull of Doom". Anna started touring with the skull from 1967 until around 1990. Anna toured with the skull as a money making venture, where patrons would pay to get an up close look at the object. Up until her death in 2007, Anna maintained her and her fathers story of the skull and would still give interviews about it.
In late 2007 after her death, her husband, Bill Homann, whom she married in 2002, took the skull to the Smithsonian to be studied again. Anthropologist, Jane Maclaren Walsh performed a detailed examination of the artifact with ultraviolet light, a high powered light microscope and computerized tomography. Homann took the skull to the Smithsonian again in 2008 for a documentary film called "Legend of the Crystal Skull." Walsh was able to take two sets of silicone molds of the artifact's tool marks to study under a scanning electron microscope.
Walsh's findings seemingly discredited any theory that the Mitchell-Hedges Skull came from antiquity. As it turned out the tooling marks on it were consistent with modern technology and was highly likely created in the 1930's. Walsh's own research into artifacts from ancient Mexico and Central America consistently showed that artisans of Mesoamerican societies carved stone with other stone or wooden tools. Later on the most advanced tools these cultures were copper tools uses in conjunction with abrasive sand or pulverized stone. The Mitchell-Hedges "Skull of Doom," now named the "Skull of Love," showed tooling marks from a high-speed metal rotary tool coated with a hard abrasive like diamond. Unless it was from some unknown and forgotten highly advanced pre-flood civilization i.e. Atlantis or Lemuria, this skull along with most of the others in the world have been found to be modern fakes. In fact, the Mitchell-Hedges Skull was likely based on the British Crystal Skull, which has been on display in London's British Museum on and off since 1898. On a final note, a facial reconstruction expert determined that the shape of the skull had predominantly European characteristics, making it impossible for ancient Mesoamerican's to have created it.
In the end it seems that the mystery of the crystal skulls has been solved for now. As technology advanced, so did our abilities to determine the origin of certain artifacts that have always been a question. One thing can be said about the crystal skulls though and their ability to inspire wonder and curiosity about our ancient past. These stories of fantastical artifacts have inspired generations of truth seekers. The story of these skulls, and particularly the Mitchell-Hedges Skull show that there is a lot we still do not know about the world and we should always strive to find answers, no matter what established doctrine dictates.