Page 18 - The 'X' Chronicles Newspaper - Febrary/March 2020 Edition

18 Fictional History of Mitchell-Hedges Skull

The Fictionalized History
of the Mitchell-Hedges

Crystal Skull

Archaeological Institute of America

Frederick Mitchell-Hedges's letter to his brother
about his new acquisition indicates from the
outset that he was not above embellishing a
story, even an already good story. It is
impossible to know where Mitchell-Hedges got
the "pre-1800 B.C." date, or his tale of five
generations of polishers, but six years later, he
was claiming to have discovered the crystal
skull himself, and not in a London salesroom.
On May 31, 1949, Echo, a local Bournemouth
paper, reported the existence of a "Skull with an
evil eye" in his collection:

“The remarkable thing about the skull,
confided Mr. Mitchell-Hedges, is that scientists
are of the opinion that it dates back to 1600 BC
and it was made by at least five generations
working from father to son to shape it out of a
block of rock crystal by rubbing it down with
sand! Mr. Mitchell-Hedges found it when he led
who is described in 1921 as a "crack shot" with Hedges's estate, and as her father had donated
a British expedition to uncover traces of the lost
pistol and rifle at age six (Times & Directory, collections, perhaps he thought the daughter
Maya civilization in Central America in the
April 23, 1921). The other was James, who was might do the same.
1930s. It had been taken by the High Priest into
living with Mitchell-Hedges in Cape Hatteras in Anna responded quickly on March 10,
the depths of the Temple where he concentrated
1936, according to a newspaper account that 1964, writing, "I am Sammy of the book, and I
on it and willed Death."
described him as fighting off an attacking shark together with Jane, father's secretary, used to
at the age of 13 (New York Times, August accompany father when he came to the museum.
In spinning his yarn, Mitchell-Hedges may here
26,1936). Were you there then and do you remember us?"
be relying on some information he's gathered
Anna Mitchell-Hedges, née Anne Marie This first letter (OC 276, folder #11) is mostly a
from The Crystal Skull, a popular adventure
Le Guillon, claimed to have personally four-page typed description of a Russian icon
story written by Jack McLaren in 1936. It
discovered the crystal skull, while called "The Black Virgin of Kazan," which was
features Lyndon Cromer, an ethnologist who
accompanying her father on an expedition to exhibited at the New York World's Fair.
supports his research with thievery, and a crystal
Lubaantun. But the story of when and how she (According to Daniel Loxton, editor of Junior
skull that he steals. A local person in New
found the skull varies with the telling, and range Skeptic, it was a later copy of the original icon.)
Guinea sees it and exclaims, "It is the skull of
from discovering it beneath the stones of a Anna noted that her father had begun
air. The skull of air!" He then tells Cromer that,
collapsed altar atop a pyramid to being lowered negotiations with San Francisco art dealer Frank
"He who holds the skull of air so that it looks at
down into a cave, beneath or inside a pyramid, Dorland to promote and sell the icon, but "After
another man knows that other man's life. He
to retrieve it. These events are detailed in father passed away Mr. Dorland and I
knows all about that other man. That is the
various sources as having taken place in 1924, commenced negotiations again and I eventually
power that the skull of air gives to him who
1926, 1927, and 1928, in contrast to her father's sent it to the States two years ago." In almost an
holds it." On his part, Cromer envisions the
version of discovering it somewhere in Central afterthought, she adds:
"tremendous interest that the arrival of this
America sometime in the 1930s.
crystal skull in London would cause—of the
I recently found a file of letters Anna “When I come out [from England] it is
excitement of the British Museum experts, of
Mitchell-Hedges wrote to Frederick Dockstader, so that I take out the "Skull of Doom," which was
the meticulous comparings between this newly-
then director of the Museum of the American the only thing my father ever kept from any of
found skull of crystal and the one already there."
Indian in New York City, between 1964 and the expeditions. It is made of pure rock crystal
Five years after making these amazing
1973. This correspondence is housed in the and is over 3,600 years old. I am taking it out so
claims, Mitchell-Hedges more or less repeated
Cultural Resource Center of the Smithsonian that research may be done on it, and I hope that
them in his fanciful memoir, Danger My Ally,
Institution's National Museum of the American it too may one day find a home where it will be
although minus the part about his having found
Indian. Dockstader initially contacted Anna on revered by all who see it.”
it in Central America. He writes (1954: p. 240),
March 4, 1964, writing,
The correspondence includes various typescripts
“It is at least 3,600 years old and
“I was delighted recently to have a of Anna's contracts with Dorland, the "Black
according to legend was used by the High Priest
visitor who...had just come from a chat with you. Virgin of Kazan" promoter, who wrote Anna in
of the Maya when performing esoteric rights.
This was a welcome opportunity for me to learn November 1963:
When the High Priest willed death, with the help
that a relative of Mr. Mitchell-Hedges was
of the skull, death inevitably followed. It has
living. I am taking the liberty of directing this The Skull of Doom, or perhaps more likely the
been described as the embodiment of evil. I do
note to you in that regard.” Skull of Knowledge, as I have said many times
not wish to try and explain this phenomenon.”
before, I would like to handle this art treasure
Continuing, he wrote that he had exhibited some for you...we can launch a programme about the
Had he forgotten about Sotheby's?
of the artifacts donated by her father, and that "it Skull and get your price. (OC 276, folder #11)
When Mitchell-Hedges died in 1959, the
would be a distinct honor not only to show you
crystal skull became the property of his adopted
what we have done, but also the degree to which (Continued on Page 19)
daughter, Anna. This was despite the fact that he
we have made use of the Mitchell-Hedges
may have had two sons, according to various Dare to Believe, Dare to Be Heard
collection." Dockstader may have been courting
sources. One was named John (aka Bumble) www.XZBN.net
Anna, whom he assumed to be heir to Mitchell-