The Crystal Skull

I remember hearing about a crystal skull, it was clear and made to look like a human skull, they said the craftsmanship was amazing and it was precise enough that it had to be cut with a laser but they are saying it was made by... I am going to need help here, but I want to say Mayans. Does anyone have any information on this? I remember seeing this on a news special when I was a child. I have also read that Hitler was obessed with the occult and tried(did?) find and take the skull for himself.

I know it has a special name but my memory is failling me, if anyone has any information, please share.

Thanks

oh man, I also saw that years ago, I *think* it was the Mayans that made it, but dont quote me on that, im not 100% sure, it was along time ago when i saw it.

Well I always thought it was clear... atleast thats what I remember them saying,and I remember seeing a video of it... it's been so long ago but I thought it was a CBS special...

I was only 8 at the time... 13 years ago hehe

I found a link with a picture but this is made of Amethyst.. and isn't see through...

The below was taken from:
www.crystalskullsociety.org...
there are 2 pictures there

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This skull is carved from dark purple amethyst. It has temporal indentations on each side of the elongated brain case. The nose and teeth are almost identical to the Mayan. It weighs approximately 8 pounds. The white line you see on the left side of the photograph is often referred to as the suture line because it runs the length of the skull, front to back.
It was brought to the United States around Christmas time in 1982 by an agent of a Maya Priest for quick sale. The Priest who claimed ownership visited Nick in his home, making an offer to allow research in exchange for a fee of $500 per week or $50 per researcher per day. Nick declined the offer. As a result, research information had to be gathered on the spot during the initial visit in February, 1983.
Last known location: San Jose, CA.
*Update: This skull resurfaced in 1998 and is once more for sale. The asking price is $1,000,000.00 (that's dollars folks!). Be advised, however, the documentation accompanying this skull is highly suspect. The paper work from the Mayan skull has been mixed in with that of
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Check out this site:

www.atlantisrising.com...

_____________________________________________
Be Cool
K_OS

Ok I found the one I was talking about, this one is made of Clear Quartz Rock. I remember them saying there is no flaws in it, and that they would have thought it to be impossible for the Mayans to be able to craft such a work of art, but supposedly they did!

Very interesting!

Also have heard rumors that it is "cursed" and what not..

This skull was allegedly discovered in San Augustine, Aczahuanthan, Departmento De Zacopa, Guatemala in 1912 by Hector Montano. Nick brought the skull to the San Francisco area, on loan from the Mayan Priest who claimed to be it's owner. Nick paid all expenses for the Priest to come to the United States and in return had the skull in his possession for four months.


More info and pictures:
www.crystalskullsociety.org...

From: www.crystalskullsociety.org...


I suppose this story really begins in Mexico in 1949. While traveling through the countryside, I met a shaman. A narrow leather cord around his neck had a small crystal skull attached. Through an interpreter who was also my guide, I was told the shaman had been given the skull when he completed training in a seminary. Further conversation enabled me to learn about several ancient crystal skulls of human size.
Thirty years passed. In 1979, through a series of unique connections, I was approached about doing research on a human sized crystal skull. I knew it was the same one I had learned about from the shaman in 1949. A line of communication was established with the priest who claimed to be the owner. Many letters were sent back and forth between California and Mexico before an agreement was reached. If I paid for all the expenses, I would be allowed to research and work with the skull. In October of 1979, I went to the designated location to get the skull.
The Mayan crystal skull is a one piece, human looking skull carved from clear rock quartz crystal which gives the impression of being cloudy. It has temporal indentations on each side of the elongated brain case. The nose and teeth are not clearly defined. It weighs 8 lbs 13 oz. Its true origin, history and circumstances surrounding its finding are cloaked in mystery. I was told by the Mayan priest that he was given permission to sell the skull because the people of the village needed food. It's present whereabouts is unknown.
This skull resided with me for four glorious months. Thirty-three researchers worked almost nightly to gather as much data as possible. Scientists, professors, crystallographers, technicians, sensitives, all became a part of the search for knowledge. The skull was subjected to test after test. Sound Frequency tests, ancient sound tests using whistles, tests using oscillating equipment, meditations, psychometry, seances (some in haunted houses), colored lights, precious & semi-precious stones, magnets, natural jungle sounds ... in short every test we could think of and obtain was used. Each response was recorded and studied.

The Museum of Man, in London, contains a crystal skull which is called the Aztec Skull. It is no longer on display in that museum. Museum personnel as well as visitors claim the skull moves on its own within the glass case in which it is enclosed. It was acquired by the museum at the turn of the century from an antiquity dealer in New York.

NOW THAT IS SOMETHING I WANT TO SEE!

Do you know any info about the Nazi's trying to get ahold of this? I have heard they were obessed with the occult... (who isnt just a little bit?)


It amazes me that the "authentic" ancient skulls were made so perfectly...

awesome link K_OS, thanks

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Ok... What I remember is that there are more than one of the crystal nskulls around the world. They are made of quartz.. and supposedly react to certain frequencies (electrical)..

But,

www.crystalskullsociety.org...

I think they took it off display more because it was a hoax....

skepdic.com...

they have said there are a lot of "false" skull that have been created in recent years... i am guessing decades.

There is an excellent book By Chris Morton and Ceri Louise Thomas called "The Mystery of the crystal Skulls"
who are the original documentary makers about this.

It covers everything from the finding of the first skull in a mayan temple in the 1920s by Fredrick Albert Mitchell-Hedges to the testing by Hewlett Packard and the later fake skulls. As well as all manner of spiritual matters, dire and hopeful messages on the worlds future

The crystal skull that was discovered in 1923 in the Yucatan peninsula had a fascinating feature. 2 light channels in the skull that channeled light from an area in the base to the eyes. A red light placed under the skull would gleam from both eyeholes. In effect, fiber optics.

The book that made this claim was written in the '50s by the daughter of the skulls finder. Long before fiber optics.

There is a movie about this - House IV. a dumb but fun pseudo-horror flick.

www.crystalskullsociety.org...

The story on this site doesn't quite jive with what I know. The skull was put on display in my hometown twice durring the 90's and Anna Mitchell-Hedges was present to explain her story.

One of the stories was that it was used to transfer the sole/knowlage of the dying old wise man into the body of a young boy.

Also look up ganesh particles. Then put the two together.

www.crystalskullsociety.org...

The story on this site doesn't quite jive with what I know. The skull was put on display in my hometown twice durring the 90's and Anna Mitchell-Hedges was present to explain her story.

One of the stories was that it was used to transfer the sole/knowlage of the dying old wise man into the body of a young boy.

Also look up ganesh particles. Then put the two together.

What I do find very interesting about this crystal skull is the fact that it is made out of quartz crystal.

First of all, quartz crystals do occassionally occur in nature large enough to make such an artifact, but are extremely rare... Also, it is possible to work quartz with modern tools, to grind, shape, polish, ect. However, regardless of how careful the artist, there is always some telltale signs of it being it being worked, usually a tool mark of some kind, ect. (Quartz has very characteristic conchoidal fracture when it is stressed or impacted, so it is very hard to exert enough pressure to work it without accidentally chipping it, and would therefore be very visible evidence that it had been mechanically worked somehow)

I cannot imagine any current technology, much less an ancient technology that would allow such an artifact to be formed without some kind of tool mark. I have read that it is totally perfect, dimensionally correct, with no tool markings anywhere on it.

Although I have never examined one personally, I would very much like to do so. I would also like to take a sample of the quartz (yeah right, they would let me do that!) and perform an XRD (X Ray Diffraction) analysis... I would be very interested to find its internal crystalline symmetry patterns (normal quartz is hexagonal, or 5 sided symmetry... I am wondering if it might be composed of stichovite, or a form of isotope with 6 sided symmetry... that would open doors for the origin, as stichovite only exists on this planet theoretically as it forms only in super high pressure and temperature, synthetically in a furnace, or fragments found in meteor impact sites....)

Hmm dragonrider, if it has a crystaline structure, that would mean it would have to be cut along that structure right?

So how is it the skull has the smooth eye sockets, characteristic of polished glass?

I don't know I just think of diamonds when I think crystaline, and how a diamond must be cut specifically to its "inner shape" and a wrong move causes it to crumble.

I should think that this is the case for all gemstones, it would also be the case of this skull and make the eye sockets in particular, and impossible feature.

Hmm dragonrider, if it has a crystaline structure, that would mean it would have to be cut along that structure right? Posted by 5POF

Quartz does have a crystalline structure, however it can still be worked into shapes different from that structure. Indeed, if you take a complete quartz crystal and break it in half, you will see what is called conchoidal fracture, or a smooth radial fracture (fans out sort of like a sea shell) that is not at all similar to the parent crystalline structure. However, it certainly does make working such a crystal extremely difficult.

Diamond has a much different and more rigid crystalline structure and is significantly harder than quartz. One of the main problems with working diamond is that the diamond is often harder than the tool working it. Also, the diamonds are often very small, and that combined with the extreme hardness often complicates any intricate working into non-crystalline shapes. Therefore, it is much easier to simply break the diamond along existing crystal planes.

It is interesting that you bring up the possibility of the skull being made of glass rather than quartz. Glass is SiO2, the exact same as quartz, except that it has been heated to the point that the crystalline structure is destroyed, and reforms without a crystal structure (amorphous quartz). This would also be readily identified with an XRD analysis.

However, I do not believe the skull to be made from glass. First of all, I dont know that any ancient technology existed when it was made to make high grade glass. Secondly, it would be readily obvious if it were glass. Many do not know that glass is actually elastic on an extremely long time table. Glass will eventually (centuries) flow very viscously. (Ever been in a 1700s colonial house with original windows? Notice that they are not clear, but will distort the image through it? Over the centuries, that vertical pane of glass has started running down, getting thicker at the bottom of the pane). If the skull were glass, it would have likely warped and distorted through the ages. The interior crystal structure of quartz keeps it rigid, so that is what I think it is made of.

It is interesting you bring up such similarities of glass and quarzt crystal.

I would have presumed to say it a hoax, and it to be glass exactly.

But if glass merely is heated and treated differently, but still quartz crystal, then I should say these skulls rather are merely treated in a fassion that simply evades us.

The archaeologists whom discuss this odd artifact never bring up the issue of heat treatment. They simply expect that it was cut and shaped at room temperature.

But I'm sure if they'd analyze it by passing a laser through, they might perhaps see that its structure has been changed through heat.

Granted it wouldn't be "glass" or high grade glass or sort, but at the time the technology was present to heat the material to a thousand degrees at the least. Granted metal working was nearly void in the region, due to a lack of iron, but I should think this would mean they'd focus heat on other objects, such as stone, which the European//Meditteranean cultures did not pick up on as a mastery, until much later.

Afterall, one who sees a rusted nail, and a shinning sword, would think it to be done by magic, when the only magic used was fire.

Glass yes, it is a "liquid" and melts, old cathedral glass is far thicker now at the bottom than when at the top, however, the crystal skull is not supporting any of its weight for it is both small and of a shape not verticle.

You'll find in museums Greek vases made of glass that still have their shape, without the same deformations that a glase panel recieves after years of being erect.

Also would it be possible to simply heat it to a degree that allows a shaping of it, such as the eye sockets, but perhaps not hot enough to completely lose its crystaline structure.

Or maybe even a way of heating and rapid cooling, tempering the stone as you would steel, for when you temper steel you are strengthening its crystaline structure are you not?

Granted it wouldn't be "glass" or high grade glass or sort, but at the time the technology was present to heat the material to a thousand degrees at the least. Granted metal working was nearly void in the region, due to a lack of iron, but I should think this would mean they'd focus heat on other objects, such as stone, which the European//Meditteranean cultures did not pick up on as a mastery, until much later. Posted by 5POF

Quartz begins to melt at around 500-600 degrees C: this is a very high temp to achieve given primative methods, but I will agree that it would be possible with a properly constructed kiln with a proper bellows system. However, I have a hard time believing that skulls of this type could be made like this, without some kind of contaminant entering from the furnace. (again, something that could easily be settled by chemical analysis of the crystal)

Also, even if it were largely cast in a molten state, (which would produce glass, not quartz) I still find it hard to believe that some form of tool mark from finishing would not be evident on it somewhere.

Also would it be possible to simply heat it to a degree that allows a shaping of it, such as the eye sockets, but perhaps not hot enough to completely lose its crystaline structure. Or maybe even a way of heating and rapid cooling, tempering the stone as you would steel, for when you temper steel you are strengthening its crystaline structure are you not? Posted by 5POF

I honestly have never performed any kind of experiment to find if it is possible to partially melt a quartz crystal and still retain its crystal structure. My first thought is that it would be difficult or impossible. Keep in mind, quartz is a very stiff material, and unless it was completely heated through all of its mass at a uniform rate, any areas of differential heating will result in differential expansion, resulting in the entire crystal shattering. (Ever put a non-pyrex glass dish in the oven?)

To answer your question about letting it slowly cool, that is what sets up Quartz crystal structure. Glass (amorphous or non crystalline quartz) is what you get when you melt quartz and "quench" it or cool it very quickly, so fast that crystals dont have time to form. The slower you cool it, the better, larger, and more coherently the crystals will form. Therefore, if you melted it and allowed it to cool very slowly, you would only have more crystal structures.

I am not sure that I agree with your idea that it may be a fake, as I cannot see even modern techniques making these skulls without telltale signs, and I believe they have been around since at least the turn of the century or longer.

As for your idea that they are glass that would not deform, I am not sure I agree, but will say it is within the realm of possibility. Either way, a few analysis would certainly explain a lot if we were given access to do so.

Well I dont' mean it to be fake, I did mention that I thought it was some where, but upon learning more of quartz, I can see how it doesn't have to be "fake".

I think a heat treatment is what they did, it seems reasonable for the technology of the time.

But afterall, I've not read enough to know if they've checked for such proceedures to have acted upon it.

But as for 500-600 degrees C, I should think it dooable for even the mesopotamian peoples, at that time, for that heat can be achieved by charcoal or better through coke.

I don't think it would have been a molten state however, I just feel they'd have heated it, much into like a puddy, worked it then and then let it cool for instance in a cave heh, which should be slow enough to allow for some crystaline structure to reform.

I do speculate as to if we could analyze to see how it was produced, without destroying it, if it slowly cooled shouldn't that cover up most of what methods were used?

But your information is noted, until I know what has been done to determine how it was made, further speculation is pointless.

It could already be disproven that heat methods would have any effect or any desired effect.