Page 14 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - Febrary/March 2020 Edition

14 Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull Hoax

F.A. Mitchell-Hedges

and Daughter Anna’s

Lies Exposed!

Continued from Page 13

Myth: The crystal skull is modeled after an
ancient Mesoamerican person (or god).
Findings: A forensic artist named Gloria Nusse
made a facial reconstruction based on the skull’s
features and concluded that the model was most
likely a “young European woman.”

Myth: The skull is the product of “five
generations of skilled craftsmen” and is
“impossible to replicate, even with modern
machinery.”
Findings: National Geographic hired a crystal
artist named Barry Liu to make an exact replica THE REAL ORIGIN skull was made of a single block of clear quartz
of the Mitchell-Hedges skull. He did so in eight
“rock crystal.” The lower jaw, which is
days.
In late 19th-century Europe, Mesoamerican detached, was made from the same block.
artifacts were all the rage. Wealthy adventurers –
Myth: Ancient Mayans and Aztecs worshipped
the same types who went on African safaris to • Age: It’s most likely less than a century
crystal skulls.
bring home big game treasures – funded old. Unfortunately, as the British Museum
Findings: They didn’t. In his book Dream
expeditions, where they basically pilfered sacred explains, “Contrary to popular belief, there are
Catchers: How Mainstream America Discovered
sites for trinkets and artifacts that they sold for a no satisfactory scientific techniques which can
Native Spirituality, Historian Philip Jenkins
tidy profit to museums and collectors. It was be used to accurately establish when a stone
writes that crystal skulls weren’t really a thing
such a booming business that Mexico – and later object was carved.”
until 19th-century Europe; they were merely
European – jewelers started making and selling
“products of a generation of creative spiritual
fake ancient artifacts. Even then, these fakes • Weight: 11 pounds, 7 ounces. (A real
entrepreneurs.” Skeptic Joe Nickell puts it even
riled science-minded archaeologists such as the human skull weighs about two pounds.)
more bluntly” “The chief power of the skulls
Smithsonian’s William Henry Holmes, who
seems to be that of attracting the credulous,
wrote as early as 1886 that it is easy for “a native • Dimensions: 7 inches long, 5 inches
including some with fantasy-prone personalities,
artisan to imitate any of the older forms of ware wide, and 5 inches high. The skull is
and transporting them to a mystical realm from
[ceramics]; and there is no doubt that in many anatomically accurate, but smaller than that of
which they return with addled senses. It seems
cases he has done so for the purpose of an adult.
likely that further revelations about the crystal
deceiving.”
skulls will best come, not from channeling
Despite archaeologists’ warnings, newly • Value: It’s difficult to come up with a
sessions, but from science and scholarship.”
made crystal skulls were readily passed off as dollar amount – there isn’t really a going price
ancient Mayan and Aztec in origin, even though for, as Joe Nickell described it, “an ancient
WHAT HAPPENED AT
they bore little resemblance to real artifacts artifact that’s not really ancient but still has
LUBAANTUN made by those cultures. But most collectors some interesting history.” F.A. Mitchell-Hedges
didn’t know that. As far as they were concerned, paid about the equivalent of $5,000 USD in
Perhaps the tallest tale of all is that Anna they had in their possession an impressive today’s money for it. An appraisal in the 1970s –
Mitchell-Hedges found the skull while on an conversation piece that “the natives believe hold when it was still thought to be a genuine ancient
expedition with her father in British Honduras magical powers.” According to anthropologist Mayan artifact – valued at $500,000 USD. But
(now Belize) in 1924. She said she could prove Jane McLaren Walsh, “The first generation of after Anna Mitchell-Hedges died in 2007, the
she was there because, when she returned to fakes were made in Mexico…between 1856 and skull was appraised for a paltry $3,000. USD. If
Lubaantun in 1989, some of the Mayans 1880. This 24-year period may represent the it were to actually go on the auction block, its
recognized her. What other proof does she have? output of a single artisan, or perhaps a single status as the most famous crystal skull in the
None. “All my father’s papers,” she told a workshop.” Then European fakers got in on the world could spark a competitive bidding war,
reporter in 1983, “were lost in Hatteras during a act. One of these skulls was put on display at the but another auction doesn’t seem to be the fate
cyclone – photographs and all.” British Museum in 1898. Sometime in the 1920s of this crystal skull.
That doesn’t explain why none of the or ‘30s, a German jeweler – most likely in the
other members of F.A. Mitchell-Hedge’s Central town of Idar-Oberstein, which is known for its (Continued on Page 15)
American expeditions ever mentioned him stunning quartz artworks – made a copy of that
finding the crystal skull, or why none of them skull. The forged artifact then changed hands a
could verify that Anna was ever there with him. few times before F.A. Mitchell-Hedges
The existing photographs (the ones that didn’t purchased it in 1943.
get lost in the cyclone) do not show the skull or
Anna. CRYSTAL CLEAR
According to the Skeptical Inquirer, an
archaeologist named Dr. John Morris went to
Just because the crystal skull isn’t a magical
Belize to try and retrace Anna’s steps, but he
object brought to Atlantis by aliens doesn’t
“couldn’t find any of the tunnels or passages that
mean it’s not an amazing piece of craftsmanship.
she described.” So why make up such a
Even skeptics marvel at it. Here are some of its
fantastical account? Because the real origin of stats:
the crystal skull is a lot less glamourous.

• Material: The Mitchell-Hedges crystal