Crystal skull 354009 225775311 2008-07-15T10:08:22Z 201.57.3.241 /* Research into crystal skull origins */ {{otheruses4|the actual crystal skulls||Crystal skull (disambiguation)}} [[Image:MitchellHedgesCrystalSkull.jpg|thumb|The crystal skull at the [[British Museum]], similar in dimensions to the more detailed Mitchell-Hedges skull.]] The '''crystal skulls''' are a number of [[human skull]] models fashioned from blocks of clear or milky [[quartz|quartz crystal]] rock, claimed to be [[pre-Columbian]] [[Mesoamerica]]n artifacts by their alleged finders. However, none of the specimens made available for scientific study were authenticated as pre-Columbian in origin. The results of these studies demonstrated that those examined were manufactured in the mid-19th century or later, almost certainly in [[Europe]].<ref>British Museum (n.d.-b), Jenkins (2004, p.217), Sax ''et al.'' (2008), Smith (2005), Walsh (1997; 2008)</ref> Despite some claims presented in an assortment of popularising literature, legends of crystal skulls with mystical powers do not figure in genuine Mesoamerican or other [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native American]] mythologies and spiritual accounts.<ref>As [[Philip Jenkins]], former Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies and now an endowed Professor of Humanities at [[Pennsylvania State University|PSU]] notes, crystal skulls are among the more obvious of examples where the association with Native spirituality is a "historically recent" and "artificial" synthesis, "products of a generation of creative spiritual entrepreneurs" that do not "[represent] the practice of any historical community"; see Jenkins (2004, pp.218–219).</ref> The skulls are often claimed to exhibit [[paranormal]] phenomena by some members of the [[New Age]] movement, and have often been portrayed as such in [[fiction]]. Perhaps the most widely known of such portrayals occurs in ''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'', the fourth film of its series, and elsewhere<ref>See the plot synopses in Hidalgo (2008), and the ''Indiana Jones'' novels by Max McCoy (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999).</ref> within [[Indiana Jones franchise|that franchise]]. Crystal skulls have been a popular subject appearing in numerous [[sci-fi]] [[television series]],<ref>For example, in [[Stargate SG-1 (season 3)|''Stargate SG-1'' season 3]] episode #65, "Crystal Skull".</ref> novels and [[video games]]. ==Crystal skull collections== A distinction has been made by some modern researchers between the smaller bead-sized crystal skulls, which first appear in the mid-19th century, and the larger (approximately life-sized) skulls that appear toward the end of that century. The smaller crystal skulls may be actual Mesoamerican beads that have been carved in modern times into a skull shape; they may even represent a genuine Mexican Catholic cultural practice, as at least one example has been found attached to the base of a [[crucifix]] (reflecting a Christian symbolism of [[Calvary|Golgotha]], the "place of [the] skull"). However, it is the larger crystal skulls that have attracted nearly all the popular attention in recent times, and researchers believe these to have been manufactured as forgeries in Europe. Trade in fake pre-Columbian artifacts developed during the late 19th century to the extent that in 1886 [[Smithsonian Institute|Smithsonian]] archaeologist [[William Henry Holmes]] wrote an article called "'The Trade in Spurious Mexican Antiquities"' for ''[[Science (journal)|Science]]''.<ref>Holmes (1886)</ref> Although museums acquired skulls earlier, it was [[Eugène Boban]], an antiquities dealer who opened his shop in Paris in 1870, who is most associated with 19th-century museum collections of crystal skulls. Most of Boban's collection, including three crystal skulls, was sold to the ethnographer [[Alphonse Pinart]], who donated the collection to the [[Trocadéro]] Museum, which later became the [[Musée de l'Homme]]. ==Research into crystal skull origins== Many crystal skulls are claimed to be [[pre-Columbian]], usually attributed to the [[Aztec]] or [[Maya civilization]]s. Mesoamerican art has numerous representations of skulls, but none of the skulls in museum collections come from documented excavations.<ref>Walsh (2008)</ref> Research carried out on several crystal skulls at the [[British Museum]] in 1996 and again in 2004 has shown that the indented lines marking the teeth (for these skulls had no separate jawbone, unlike the Mitchell-Hedges skull) were carved using [[jewellery|jeweler]]'s equipment (rotary tools) developed in the 19th century, making a supposed pre-Columbian origin even more dubious. The type of (rather poor quality) crystal is Brazilian, and unknown within the Aztec or Maya territories. The study concluded that the skulls were crafted in the 19th century in Germany. It has been established that both the British Museum and Paris's [[Musée de l'Homme]]<ref>The specimen at the Musée de l'Homme is half-sized.</ref> crystal skulls were originally sold by the French antiquities dealer Eugène Boban, who was operating in Mexico City between 1860 and 1880.<ref>See "The mystery of the British Museum's crystal skull is solved. It's a fake", in ''The Independent'' (Connor 2005). See also the Museum's issued public statement on its crystal skull (British Museum n.d.-c).</ref> The British Museum crystal skull transited through New York's Tiffany's, whilst the Musée de l'Homme's crystal skull was donated by [[Alphonse Pinart]], an ethnographer who had bought it from Boban. An investigation carried out by the [[Smithsonian Institution]] in 1992 on a crystal skull provided by an anonymous source who claimed to have purchased it in Mexico City in 1960 and that it was of Aztec origin concluded that it, too, was made in recent years. According to the Smithsonian, Boban acquired the crystal skulls he sold from sources in Germany; findings that are in keeping with those of the British Museum.<ref>See the account given by Smithsonian anthropologist Jane Walsh of her joint investigations with British Museum's materials scientist Margaret Sax, which ascertained the crystal skull specimens to be 19th century fakes, in Smith (2005). See also Walsh (1997).</ref> A detailed study of the British Museum and Smithsonian crystal skulls was accepted for publication by the ''[[Journal of Archaeological Science]]'' in May 2008.<ref>Sax ''et al.'' (2008)</ref> Using [[electron microscope|electron microscopy]] and [[X-ray crystallography]], a team of British and American researchers found that the British Museum skull was worked with a harsh abrasive substance such as [[corundum]] or [[diamond]], and shaped using a rotary disc tool made from some suitable metal. The Smithsonian specimen had been worked with a different abrasive, namely the silicon-carbon compound [[carborundum]] which is a synthetic substance manufactured using modern industrial techniques.<ref>Carborundum (Silicon carbide) occurs naturally only in minute amounts in the extremely rare mineral [[moissanite]], first identified in a [[meteorite]] in 1893. See summary of the discovery and history of silicon carbide in Kelly (n.d.)</ref> Since the synthesis of carborundum dates only to the 1890s and its wider availability to the 20th century, the researchers concluded "[t]he suggestion is that it was made in the 1950s or later".<ref>See reportage of the study in Rincon (2008), and the study itself in Sax ''et al.'' (2008).</ref> In contrast to the large crystal skulls, small examples (several inches in height, larger than beads) are stylistically closer to the numerous representations of skulls in Aztec painting and carving.{{Fact |date=June 2008}} The fact that none of the examples in museums come from documented excavations does not rule out that some small skulls were authentic Aztec creations. A parallel example is provided by [[Obsidian use in Mesoamerica|obsidian mirrors]], ritual objects widely depicted in Aztec art. Although a few surviving obsidian mirrors come from archaeological excavations,<ref>Such as at [[Teotihuacan]]; see Taube (1992).</ref> none of the Aztec-style obsidian mirrors are so documented. Yet most authorities on Aztec material culture consider the Aztec-style obsidian mirrors as authentic pre-Columbian objects<ref>See for eg Olivier (2003).</ref> Archaeologist [[Michael E. Smith]] reports a non [[peer-reviewed]] find of a small crystal skull at an Aztec site in the Valley of Mexico.<ref>Michael E. Smith, "Aztec Crystal Skulls," Publishing Archaeology Blog [http://publishingarchaeology.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post.html]</ref> Some authors believe that until any crystal skulls are reported in peer-reviewed papers describing their excavation, all of them should be considered fabrications. ==Individual skulls== ===Mitchell-Hedges skull=== Perhaps the most famous and enigmatic skull was allegedly discovered in 1924 by [[Anna Le Guillon Mitchell-Hedges]], adopted daughter of British adventurer and popularist author [[F.A. Mitchell-Hedges]]. Anna Hedges claimed that she found the skull buried under a collapsed altar inside a temple in [[Lubaantun]], in [[British Honduras]], now [[Belize]].<ref>See Garvin (1973, caption to photo 25); also Nickell (2007, p.67).</ref> As far as can be ascertained, F.A. Mitchell-Hedges himself made no mention of the alleged discovery in any of his writings on Lubaantun. Also, others present at the time of the excavation have not been documented as noting either the skull's discovery or Anna's presence at the dig.<ref>Nickell (2007, pp.68–69)</ref> In a 1970 letter, Anna also stated that she was "told by the few remaining Maya, and was used by the high priest to will death".<!--This quote doesn't really scan grammatically, should be checked for accuracy --><ref>Garvin (1973, p.93)</ref> The artifact is sometimes referred to as "The Skull of Doom", either because of its seemingly inexplicable properties and the supposed ill-luck of those who have handled it, or perhaps a play on 'Skull of Dunn' (Dunn being an associate of Mitchell-Hedges). Anna Mitchell-Hedges toured with the skull from 1967 exhibiting it on a pay-per-view basis,<ref>Hammond (2008)</ref> and continued to give interviews about the artifact until her death in 2007. The skull is made from a block of clear quartz about the size of a small human cranium, measuring some 5 inches (13 cm) high, 7 inches (18 cm) long and 5 inches wide. The lower jaw is detached. In the early 1970s it came under the temporary care of freelance art restorer Frank Dorland, who claimed upon inspecting it that it had been "carved" with total disregard to the natural crystal axes without the use of metal tools. Dorland reported being unable to find any tell-tale scratch marks, except for traces of mechanical grinding on the teeth, and speculated it was first chiseled into rough form, probably using diamonds, and the finer shaping, grinding and polishing achieved through the use of sand over a period of 150 to 300 years. Although various claims have been made over the years regarding the skull's physical properties, such as an allegedly constant temperature of 70°F (21°C), Dorland reported that there was no difference in properties between it and other natural quartz crystals.<ref>Dorland, in a May 1983 letter to Joe Nickell, cited in Nickell (2007, p.70).</ref> While in Dorland's care the skull came to the attention of writer Richard Garvin, at the time working at an advertising agency where he supervised [[Hewlett-Packard]]'s advertising account. Garvin made arrangements for the skull to be examined at HP's crystal labs at Santa Clara, where it was subjected to several tests. The labs determined only that it was not a composite (as Dorland had supposed), but was fashioned from a single crystal of quartz.<ref>See Garvin (1973, pp.75&ndash;76), also Hewlett-Packard (1971, p.9). The test conducted involved immersing the skull in a liquid ([[Benzyl alcohol]]) with the same [[diffraction]] coefficient and viewing it under [[polarized light]].</ref> The lab test also established that the lower jaw had been fashioned from the same left-handed growing crystal as the rest of the skull.<ref>Garvin (1973, pp.75&ndash;76); Hewlett-Packard (1971, p.9).</ref> No investigation was made by HP as to its method of manufacture or dating.<ref>Hewlett-Packard (1971, p.10).</ref> As well as the traces of mechanical grinding on the teeth noted by Dorland,<ref>Garvin (1973, p.84); also cited in Nickell (2007, p.70).</ref> Mayanist archaeologist [[Norman Hammond]] reported that the holes (presumed to be intended for support pegs) showed signs of being made by drilling with metal.<ref>Hammond, in a May 1983 letter to Nickell, cited in Nickell (2007, p.70). See also Hammond's recounting of his meeting with Anna Mitchell-Hedges and the skull in an article written for ''The Times'', in Hammond (2008).</ref> Anna Mitchell-Hedges refused subsequent requests to submit the skull to further scientific testing.<ref>Nickell (2007, p.69)</ref> F. A. Mitchell-Hedges mentioned the skull only briefly in the first edition of his autobiography, ''Danger My Ally'' (1954), without specifying where or by whom it was found.<ref>See Mitchell-Hedges (1954, pp.240–243); also description of same in the chapter "Riddle of the Crystal Skulls", in Nickell (2007, pp.67–73).</ref> He merely claimed that "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".<ref>Mitchell-Hedges' quote, as reproduced in Nickell (2007, p.67).</ref> All subsequent editions of ''Danger My Ally'' omitted mention of the skull entirely.<ref>Nickell (2007, pp.68–69)</ref> [[Image:EBoban.jpg|thumb|180px|Eugène Boban, main French dealer in pre-Columbian artifacts during the second half of the 19th century and probable source of many famous skulls]] The earliest published reference to the skull is the July 1936 issue of the British anthropological journal ''[[Man (journal)|Man]]'', where it is described as in the possession of Mr. Sydney Burney, a London art dealer said to have owned it since 1933.<ref>See Morant (1936, p.105), and comments in Digby (1936). See also discussion of the prior ownership in Nickell (2007, p.69).</ref> No mention was made of Mitchell-Hedges. There is documentary evidence that Mitchell-Hedges bought it from Burney in 1944.<ref>Nickell (2007, p.69)</ref> The skull was in the custody of Anna Mitchell-Hedges, the adopted daughter of Frederick. She steadfastly refused to let it be examined by experts (making very doubtful that claim that it was reported on by R. Stansmore Nutting in 1962). Somewhere between 1988–1990 Anna Mitchell-Hedges toured with the skull. In her last eight years Anna Mitchell-Hedges lived in [[Chesterton, Indiana]], with Bill Homann. He took care of her until she died on [[April 11]], [[2007]]. Since that time the Mitchell-Hedges Skull has been in the custody of Bill Homann. ===British Museum skull=== The crystal skull of the [[British Museum]] first appeared in 1881, in the shop of the Paris antiquarian, [[Eugène Boban]]. Its origin was not stated in his catalog of the time. He is said to have tried to sell it to Mexico's national museum as an Aztec artifact, but was unsuccessful. Boban later moved his business to New York City, where the skull was sold at auction, and bought by [[Tiffany and Co.]], who later sold it at cost to the [[British Museum]] in 1897.<ref>British Museum (n.d.-a, n.d.-b)</ref> This skull is very similar to the Mitchell-Hedges skull, although it is less detailed and does not have a movable lower jaw.<ref>Digby (1936)</ref> The British Museum catalogs the skull's [[provenance]] as "probably European, 19th century AD"<ref>British Museum (n.d.-a)</ref> and describes it as "not an authentic pre-Columbian artefact".<!--NOTE: this is a direct quote. Do not change the spelling to 'artifact'.--><ref>British Museum (n.d.-c). See also articles on the investigations which established it to be a fake, in Connor (2005), Jury (2005), Smith (2005), and Walsh (1997, 2008).</ref> It has been established that this skull was made with modern tools, and that it is not authentic.<ref>Rincon (2008), Sax ''et al.'' (2008)</ref> ===Paris skull=== The largest of the three skulls sold by Eugène Boban to Alphonse Pinart (sometimes called the Paris Skull), about 10cm (3.9[[inch|in]]) high, has a hole drilled vertically through its center. It is part of a collection held at the [[Musée du Quai Branly]], and was subjected to scientific tests carried out in 2007&ndash;08 by France's national [[Centre de recherche et de restauration des musées de France]] (Centre for Research and Restoration of the Museums in France, or C2RMF). After a series of analyses carried out over three months, C2RMF engineers concluded that it was "certainly not pre-Columbian, it shows traces of polishing and abrasion by modern tools."<ref>Quote reported by Agence France-Presse, see Rosemberg (2008).</ref> Particle accelerator tests also revealed occluded traces of water that were dated to the 19th century, and the Quai Branly released a statement that the tests "seem to indicate that it was made late in the 19th century."<ref>Quote reported by Agence France-Presse, see Rosemberg (2008). See also Walsh (2008).</ref> ===Smithsonian Skull=== The Smithsonian skull was mailed to the [[Smithsonian Institution|Smithsonian]] anonymously, and was claimed to be an [[Aztec]] object by its donor. It was carved using [[carborundum]],a modern abrasive. It is on display as a fake at the [[National Museum of Natural History]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Smithsonian Puts Mysterious Crystal Skull on Display |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,378923,00.html |accessdate=7-10-2008}}</ref> ==Paranormal claims and spiritual associations== People{{Who|date=June 2008}} who believe in the [[parapsychology|psychic]] power of crystal skulls claim the skulls are a center of radiant psychic energy and have the power to increase happiness and improve people's lives just by being held, handled and spoken with; others{{Who|date=June 2008}} have alleged that crystal skulls can be used as some claim [[crystal ball]]s can be used, to aid [[divination]].{{Fact|date=October 2007}} In the 1931 play ''The Satin Slipper,'' by Paul Claudel, King Philip II of Spain uses "a death's head made from a single piece of rock crystal," lit by "a ray of the setting sun," to see the defeat of his Armada in its attack on England (day 4, scene 4, pp. 243-44).<ref>Claudel, Paul. ''The Satin Slipper.'' Trans. John O'Connor and Paul Claudel. London: Sheed & Ward, 1931. Originally published as ''Le Soulier de Satin'' (Paris: Nouvelle Revue Française).</ref> Claims of the healing and [[supernatural]] powers of crystal skulls have no support in the mainstream scientific community. The scientific community at large has found no evidence of any unusual phenomena associated with the skulls nor any reason for further investigation, other than the confirmation of their provenance and method of manufacture.<ref>See Nickell (2007, pp.67–73); Smith (2005); Walsh (1997; 2008).</ref> Another novel and historically unfounded speculation ties in the legend of the crystal skulls with the completion of the current [[Maya calendar]] ''[[b'ak'tun]]''-cycle on [[December 21]], [[2012]], claiming the re-uniting of the thirteen mystical skulls will forestall a catastrophe allegedly predicted or implied by the ending of this calendar. An airing of this claim appeared (among an assortment of others made) in ''The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls'',<ref>{{cite visual |crew=John Schriber (Executive Producer). Kevin Huffman, Erin McGarry, Andrew Rothstein and Andrea Skipper (Producers). Jayme Roy (Director of Photography). [[Lester Holt]] (Presenter) |title=The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls |url=http://www.scifi.com/crystalskulls/ |date=May 2008 |medium=television program |location=New York |distributor=[[NBC|Peacock Productions (NBC)]], in association with the [[Sci Fi Channel (United States)|Sci Fi Channel]] |accessdate=2008-06-06}}</ref> a 2008 program produced for the [[Sci Fi Channel (United States)|Sci Fi Channel]] in May and shown on [[Discovery Channel (Canada)|Discovery Channel Canada]] in June. Interviewees included [[Richard C. Hoagland|Richard Hoagland]], who attempted to link the skulls and the Maya to life on Mars, and [[David Hatcher Childress]], proponent of lost Atlantean civilizations and anti-gravity claims. The alleged associations and origins of crystal skull mythology in Native American spiritual lore, as advanced by [[neoshamanism|neoshamanic]] writers such [[Jamie Sams]], are similarly discounted.<ref>See discussion of the various claims put forward by Sams, Kenneth Meadows, Harley Swift Deer Reagan and others concerning crystal skulls, [[ancient astronaut theories|extra-terrestrials]], and Native American lore, in Jenkins (2004, pp.215–218).</ref> Instead, as [[Philip Jenkins]] notes, crystal skull mythology may be traced back to the "baroque legends" initially spread by F.A. Mitchell-Hedges, and then afterwards taken up: <blockquote> By the 1970s, the crystal skulls [had] entered New Age mythology as potent relics of ancient Atlantis, and they even acquired a canonical number: there were exactly thirteen skulls.<BR>None of this would have anything to do with North American Indian matters, if the skulls had not attracted the attention of some of the most active New Age writers.<ref>Quotation from Jenkins (2004, pp.217–218).</ref> </blockquote> ==See also== *[[For the Love of God]], a diamond-encrusted skull made by artist Damien Hirst *''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'', film that revolves around a fictional back-story to the lore of crystal skulls *''[[Legend of the Crystal Skull]]'', video game which involves searching for a lost crystal skull ==Notes == {{Reflist}} == References == {{ref begin}} {{ref indent}}<!-- BEGIN hanging indent style. Pls use a colon (:) instead of asterisk (*) for bullet markers in the references list --> : {{cite web |author={{aut|British Museum}} |year=n.d.-a |title=Rock crystal skull |url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/aoa/r/rock_crystal_skull.aspx |work=Explore: Highlights |publisher=Trustees of the [[British Museum]] |accessdate=2008-04-22}} : {{cite web |author={{aut|British Museum}} |year=n.d.-b |title=Study of two large crystal skulls in the collections of the British Museum and the Smithsonian Institution |url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/article_index/s/studying_two_crystal_skulls.aspx |work=Explore: Articles |publisher=Trustees of the [[British Museum]] |accessdate=2008-04-22}} : {{cite web |author={{aut|British Museum}} |year=n.d.-c |title=The crystal skull |url=http://www.britishmuseum.org/the_museum/news_and_press_releases/statements/the_crystal_skull.aspx |work=News and press releases: Statements |publisher=Trustees of the [[British Museum]] |accessdate=2008-04-14}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Connor, Steve}} |year=2005 |date=[[2005-01-07]] |title=The mystery of the British Museum's crystal skull is solved. It's a fake |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-mystery-of-the-british-museums-crystal-skull-is-solved-its-a-fake-495587.html |journal=[[The Independent]] |location=London |publisher=[[Independent News & Media]] |accessdate=2008-04-13}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Digby, Adrian}} |year=1936 |month=July |title=Comments on the Morphological Comparison of Two Crystal Skulls |journal=[[Man (journal)|Man]] |url= |format= |volume=36 |issue= |pages=pp.107–109|location=London |publisher=[[Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland]] |doi= |issn=0025-1496 |oclc=42646610}} : {{cite book |author={{aut|Garvin, Richard}} |year=1973 |title=The Crystal Skull: The Story of the Mystery, Myth and Magic of the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull Discovered in a Lost Mayan City During a Search for Atlantis |location=New York |publisher=[[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday]] |isbn=0385094566 |oclc=553587}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Hammond, Norman}} |authorlink=Norman Hammond |year=2008 |date=[[2008-04-28]] |title=Secrets of the crystal skulls are lost in the mists of forgery |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/article3834827.ece |journal=[[The Times]] |location=London|publisher=[[News International]]|accessdate=2008-08-24}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Hewlett-Packard (magazine editorial staff)}}|year=1971 |month=February|title=History or hokum? Santa Clara's crystals lab helps tackle the case of the hard-headed Honduran...|url=http://www.hparchive.com/measure_magazine/HP-Measure-1971-02-pdf |format=[[PDF]] online facsimile at HParchive |journal=Measure (staff magazine) |location=Palo Alto, CA|publisher=[[Hewlett-Packard]]|pages=pp.8–10 |accessdate=2008-04-11}} : {{cite web| author = {{aut|Hidalgo, Pablo}} |year=2008 | date = [[2008-04-07]]| title = The Lost Chronicles of Young Indiana Jones | publisher = StarWars.com | url = http://www.starwars.com/community/news/films/f20080407/indexp3.html | accessdate=2008-05-03}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Holmes, William H.}} |authorlink=William Henry Holmes |year=1886 |date=[[1886-02-19]] |title=The trade in spurious Mexican antiquities |journal=[[Science (journal)|Science]], new series |url= |format= |volume=ns-7 |issue=159S |pages=pp.170–172|location=Cambridge, MA|publisher=The Science Company, and Moses King|doi=10.1126/science.ns-7.159S.170 |issn=0036-8075 |oclc=213776464 |pmid=17787662}} : {{cite web |author={{aut|Hruby, Zachary}} |year=2008 |month=May |title=Critical Notes on "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" |url=http://www.mesoweb.com/reports/indy.html |work=Mesoweb Reports & News |publisher=Mesoweb |accessdate=2008-06-01}} : {{cite book |author={{aut|Jenkins, Philip}} |authorlink=Philip Jenkins |year=2004 |title=Dream Catchers: How Mainstream America Discovered Native Spirituality |location=Oxford and New York |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |isbn=0-19-516115-7 |oclc=54074085}} : {{cite journal|author={{aut|Jury, Louise}} |year=2005 |date=[[2005-05-24]] |title=Art market scandal: British Museum expert highlights growing problem of fake antiquities |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/art-market-scandal-british-museum-expert-highlights-growing-problem-of-fake-antiquities-491906.html |journal=[[The Independent]] |location=London |publisher=[[Independent News & Media]] |accessdate=2008-04-13}} : {{cite web |author={{aut|Kelly, Jim}} |year=n.d. |title=A brief history of SiC|url=http://img.chem.ucl.ac.uk/www/kelly/moissanite.htm |publisher=Industrial Materials Group, [[University College London]] |accessdate=2008-05-23}} : {{cite book|author={{aut|McCoy, Max}} |year=1995|title=[[Indiana Jones and the Philosopher's Stone]]|location=New York|publisher=[[Bantam Books]]|isbn=978-0-553-56196-8 |oclc=32417516}} : {{cite book|author={{aut|McCoy, Max}} |year=1996|title=Indiana Jones and the Dinosaur Eggs |url=http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553561937|location=New York|publisher=[[Bantam Books]]|isbn=978-0-553-56193-7 |oclc=34306261}} : {{cite book|author={{aut|McCoy, Max}} |year=1997|title=Indiana Jones and the Hollow Earth |url=http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553561951|location=New York|publisher=[[Bantam Books]]|isbn=978-0-553-56195-1 |oclc=36380785}} : {{cite book|author={{aut|McCoy, Max}} |year=1999|title=Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Sphinx |url=http://www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780553561975|location=New York|publisher=[[Bantam Books]]|isbn=978-0-553-56197-5 |oclc=40775168}} : {{cite book |author={{aut|Mitchell-Hedges, F.A.}} |authorlink=F. A. Mitchell-Hedges |year=1954 |title=Danger My Ally |location=London |publisher=Elek Books |oclc=2117472}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Morant, G.M.}} |year=1936 |month=July |title=A Morphological Comparison of Two Crystal Skulls |journal=[[Man (journal)|Man]] |url= |format= |volume=36 |issue= |pages=pp.105–107|location=London |publisher=[[Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland]] |doi= |issn=0025-1496 |oclc=42646610}} : {{cite book |author={{aut|Nickell, Joe}} |authorlink=Joe Nickell |year=2007 |title=Adventures in Paranormal Investigation |location=Lexington |publisher=[[University Press of Kentucky]] |isbn=978-0-8131-2467-4 |oclc=137305722}} : {{cite book |author={{aut|Olivier, Guilhem}} |year=2003 |title=Mockeries and Metamorphoses of an Aztec God: Tezcatlipoca, "Lord of the Smoking Mirror" |others=Michel Besson (trans.) |edition=Translation of: ''Moqueries et métamorphoses d’un dieu aztèque'' (Paris : Institut d'ethnologie, Musée de l'homme, &copy;1997) |location=Boulder |publisher=[[University Press of Colorado]] |isbn=0-87081-745-0 |oclc=52334747}} : {{cite web |author={{aut|Rincon, Paul}} |year=2008 |date=[[2008-05-22]] |title=Crystal skulls 'are modern fakes' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7414637.stm |work=Science/Nature |publisher=[[BBC News online]] |accessdate=2008-05-22}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Rosemberg, Claire <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Agence France-Presse|AFP]]]}} |year=2008 |date=[[2008-04-18]] |title=Skullduggery, Indiana Jones? Museum says crystal skull not Aztec |url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080418/ennew_afp/entertainmentfilmcannesindianajonesskull |journal=[[Yahoo! News]] |accessdate=2008-04-22 |format={{dead link|date=June 2008}} &ndash; <sup>[http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar?hl=en&lr=&q=intitle%3ASkullduggery%2C+Indiana+Jones%3F+Museum+says+crystal+skull+not+Aztec&as_publication=%5B%5BYahoo%21+News%5D%5D&as_ylo=2008&as_yhi=2008&btnG=Search Scholar search]</sup>}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Sax, Margaret}} |coauthors={{aut|Jane M. Walsh, Ian C. Freestone, Andrew H. Rankin}}, and {{aut|Nigel D. Meeks}} |year=2008 |month=May |title=The origin of two purportedly pre-Columbian Mexican crystal skulls |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |location=London |publisher=[[Elsevier Science]] |volume=Article in Press |issue=accepted manuscript|doi=10.1016/j.jas.2008.05.007 |issn=1095-9238 |oclc=36982975}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Smith, Donald}} |year=2005 |title=With a high-tech microscope, scientist exposes hoax of 'ancient' crystal skulls |url=http://www.si.edu/opa/insideresearch/articles/V9_CrystalSkulls.html |format=online edition|journal=Inside Smithsonian Research |location=Washington, DC |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]] Office of Public Affairs |volume=9 |issue=Summer |oclc=52905641 |accessdate=2008-04-14}} : {{cite book |author={{aut|Taube, Karl A.}} |authorlink=Karl Taube |year=1992 |chapter=The iconography of mirrors at Teotihuacan |editor=Janet Catherine Berlo (ed.) |title=Art, Ideology, and the City of Teotihuacan: A Symposium at Dumbarton Oaks, 8th and 9th October 1988 |location=Washington DC |publisher=[[Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection]] |pages=pp.169–204|isbn=0-88402-205-6 |oclc=25547129}} : {{cite book |author={{aut|Walsh, Jane MacLaren}} |year=1997 |chapter=Crystal skulls and other problems: or, “don't look it in the eye” |title=Exhibiting Dilemmas: Issues of Representation at the Smithsonian |editor=Amy Henderson and Adrienne L. Kaeppler (eds.) |location=Washington, DC |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution|Smithsonian Institution Press]] |isbn=1560986905 |oclc=34598037}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Walsh, Jane MacLaren}} |year=2005 |month=Spring |title=What is Real? A New Look at PreColumbian Mesoamerican Collections |journal=AnthroNotes: Museum of Natural History Publication for Educators |url=http://www.anthropology.si.edu/outreach/anthnote/anthronotes_2005spring.pdf |format=[[PDF]] online publication |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=pp.1–7,17–19|location=Washington, DC |publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]] and the [[National Museum of Natural History]] Anthropology Outreach Office |doi= |issn=1548-6680 |oclc=8029636}} : {{cite journal |author={{aut|Walsh, Jane MacLaren}} |year=2008 |month=May/June |title=Legend of the Crystal Skulls |journal=[[Archaeology (magazine)|Archaeology]] |url=http://www.archaeology.org/0805/etc/indy.html |format=online edition|volume=61 |issue=3 |pages=pp.36–41 |location=New York |publisher=[[Archaeological Institute of America]] |doi= |issn=0003-8113 |oclc=1481828 |unused_data=|accessdate-2008-04-16}} {{ref indent-end}}<!-- END hanging indent style --> {{ref end}} == External links == {{commonscat}} * [http://www.crystalskulls.us ''Real Science'' monograph] on examinations of both the BM & BH skulls<!--This should be an inline reference citation; it adds nothing useful here as an ext. link.--> * [http://skepdic.com/crystalskull.html skepdic.com]: crystalskull<!--This should be an inline reference citation; it adds nothing useful here as an ext. link.--> *[http://www.mitchell-hedges.com/ Mitchell-Hedges Official website] Biography of Anna Mitchell-Hedges and account of the discovery of the skull.<!--This should be an inline reference citation; it adds nothing useful here as an ext. link.--> [[Category:Ancient mysteries]] [[Category:Archaeological forgery]] [[Category:Pseudoarchaeology]] [[Category:Out-of-place artifacts]] [[de:Kristallschädel]] [[es:Cráneo de cristal]] [[fr:Crâne de cristal]] [[it:Teschio di cristallo]] [[hu:Kristálykoponyák]] [[ja:水晶髑髏]] [[pl:Kryształowa czaszka]] [[ru:Хрустальный череп]] [[sl:kristalna lobanja]] [[zh:水晶人头骨]]