Some Knowledge

The new Indiana Jones movie has caused an increased interest in the crystal skull artifacts that have appeared at various museums and in different collections.  Some people think these items are genuine artifacts from the Mayan or Aztec civilizations.  From what I’ve been reading online, it seems these crystal skulls are all fakes from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Most of the crystal skulls exhibit modern tool marks that make it impossible for them to be actual archaeological artifacts.  There was a thriving business in fake antiquities in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  It is believed that most of the crystal skulls were carved in Paris jeweler shops.  The fact that none of these objects has ever been dug up in a documented archaeological dig makes all of the items suspect.  The large skull in the possession of the Smithsonian Museum was sent to them anonymously and claimed to be of Aztec origin.

There is no shortage of scammers in this world.  Crystal skulls are a modern creation that have been purported to have magical powers.  Some people claim they are the products of the fabled Atlantean civilization.  Nevermind that Atlantis is a fictional land thought up by Plato.  People claim these skulls were made by the Atlanteans and were sent to the Mayans when Atlantis sank.  Some people even claim that these crystal skulls contain pictures from the past recorded into the crystal structure by some unknown process.

There is yet another hilarious myth about the 13 crystal skulls that are supposed to be genuine because they are in museums and well-known collections.  It is claimed that the thirteen skulls will somehow bring about the end of the world in 2012, the last year in the Mayan calender.  This is supposed to happen by some magical energies these skulls contain.  Perhaps this story is being popularized by something in the movie, I don’t know, but it seems an unlikely scenario.

It never ceases to amaze me how people will make up fantastic stories to go along with some things that are obvious fakes.  The crystal skulls ate interesting to look at, but they are nothing more than pieces of rock that have been carved to resemble a human skull.  The reason they were made is pretty obvious.  Somebody wanted to make some money.  As objects of art they have some value, but as far as being actual artifacts from lost civilizations, they are not.