The crystal skulls are exquisite carvings of a human skull that have been found in varying sizes. Clear rock quartz crystal is the most common medium used in the skulls found in ruins. But they also come in amethyst, rose quartz, smoky quartz, alabaster, topaz, moonstone, tourmaline, ametrine, citrine, sapphire and agate. Those the actual size of a human skull are of special interest. The reason the skulls in general are of so special interest is the fact the modern crystal cutting experts do not know how they were made!

Most crystal skulls are found in tombs located throughout Mexico and Central America. These are the ones most likely to be referred to as Ancient, scientifically dated to be 1,000 years old or older. There are 49 skulls that are currently considered to be of Ancient origin, but new ones do turn up now and again. Very few Ancients are available for public viewing.

Human sized skulls are fashioned from quartz crystal and are particularly intriguing when viewed from many angles. The fact they are found in tombs is interesting from an archaeological standpoint. The medium is interesting because of the metaphysical properties associated with crystals and stones. From an artist's standpoint, they are beautiful to behold because of the craftsmanship involved and the type of tools it took to create the Ancients. At a time in history when stone pyramids were being constructed and human sacrifices were considered spiritual, crystal skulls were being carved. The primary question is do they have a purpose? This is what is under consideration. All we have at the moment is a collection of theories and beliefs. Because they are found in tombs, the assumption is they have some religious significance. One theory states tribal Shaman used them to control events within the community. There is also a legend of a circle of thirteen skulls and a Master Skull, a skull that contained all the knowledge of the other twelve, which - if brought together again - will be able to release there sacred knowledge to modern man...

Without a doubt the most famous and enigmatic piece of ancient crystal discovered to date is the Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull. One day in1927, adventurer-explorer F. A. Mitchell-Hedges was clearing debris from atop a ruined temple at the ancient Mayan city of Lubaantum, located in British Honduras, now Belize, when his seventeen-year old daughter Anna, who had accompanied him, suddenly saw something shimmering in the dust below. Anna found an exquisitely carved and polished skull made of rock crystal, with the jaw piece missing. Three months later, she located the jaw in an excavation about 25 feet from the first site.

The skull was made from a single, unusually large block of clear quartz crystal, and measured 5 inches high, 7 inches long, and 5 inches wide, weighing 11 pounds, 7 ounces. It closely corresponds in size to a small human cranium, with near perfect detail, even to rendering the skull without the globular prominence or superciliary ridges, which are characteristics of a female.

In 1970, art conservator and restorer Frank Dorland was given permission by the Mitchell-Hedges estate to submit the quartz skull for tests to be conducted at the Hewlett-Packard Laboratories at Santa Clara, California.

From these tests, and from careful studies done by Dorland himself, the skull revealed a whole array of anomalies. When submersed in a benzyl alcohol bath, with a beam of light passing through, it was noted that both the skull and jaw piece had come from the same quartz block. What was astounding to the testers, however, is they found that the skull and jaw had been carved with total disregard to the natural crystal axis in the quartz.

In modern crystallography, the first procedure is always to determine the axis, to prevent fracturing and breakage during the subsequent shaping process. Yet, the skull's maker appears to have employed methods by which such concerns were not necessary.

The unknown artist also used no metal tools. Dorland was unable to find signs of any tell tale scratch marks on the crystal, under high-powered microscopic analysis. Indeed, most metals would have been ineffectual, for the crystal has a specific gravity of 2.65, and a Mohs hardness factor of 7. In other words, even a modern penknife cannot make a mark on it.

From tiny patterns in the quartz near the carved surfaces, Dorland determined the skull was first meticulously chiselled into a rough form,probably using diamonds. Dorland believes the fine shaping, grinding and polishing was done by applying innumerable applications of solutions of water and silicon-crystal sand. The big problem is, if these were the processes used, then, as Dorland calculated, it would mean that a total of 300 man-years of continuous labour was spent in making the skull. We must accept this almost unimaginable feat, or admit to the use of some form of lost technology in the skull's creation, the likes of which we have no equivalent today.

The enigma of the skull, however, does not end with just its making. The zygomatic arches (the bone arch extending along the sides and front of the cranium) are accurately separated from the skull piece, and act as light pipes, using principles similar to modern optics, to channel light from the base of the skull to the eye sockets.

The eye sockets in turn are miniature concave lenses that also transfer light from a source below, into the upper cranium. Finally, in the interior of the skull is a ribbon prism and tiny light tunnels, by which objects held beneath the skull are magnified and brightened.

Richard Garvin, who authored a book about the crystal skull, believes the skull was designed to be placed over an upward shining beam. The result, with the various light transfers and prismatic effects, would illuminate the entire skull and cause the sockets to become glowing eyes. Dorland performed experiments using this technique, and reported the skull 'lights up like it was on fire.'

Still another finding about the crystal skull reveals knowledge of weights and fulcrum points. The jaw piece fits precisely onto the skull by two polished sockets, which allow the jaw to move up and down. The skull itself can be balanced exactly where two tiny holes are drilled on each side of its base, which probably once held suspending supports. So perfect is the balance at these points that the slightest breeze causes the skull to nod back and forth, the jaw opening and closing as counter-weight. The visual effect is that of a living skull, talking and articulating.

The question, of course, is what purpose did this serve? was it only designed by its artist as a clever toy or conversation piece, or, as Dorland believes, was the talking skull meant to be used as an oracular device, through strange phenomena associated with the crystal skull, that defy logical explanation.

Observers have reported that, for unknown reasons, the skull will change color. Sometimes the frontal cranium clouds up, looking like white cotton, while at other times it turns perfectly clear, as if the space within disappears into an empty void. Over a period from 5 to 6 minutes, a dark spot often begins forming on the right side and slowly blackens the entire skull, then recedes and disappears as mysteriously as it came.

Other observers have seen strange scenes reflected in the eye sockets, scenes of buildings and other objects, even though the skull is resting against a black background. Still others have heard ringing noises emanating from within, and at least on one occasion, a distinct glow from no known light source surrounded the skull like an aura for up to six minutes.

The sum total of the skull appears to take in all five physical senses of the brain. It changes colour and light and it emits odors. It creates sound, it gives off sensations of heat and cold to those who touch it, even though the crystal has always remained at a physical temperature of 70 degrees F under all conditions, and has even produced sensations of thirst and sometimes of taste in a few cases.

Dorland is of the opinion that what is happening in all this phenomena is that the 'crystal stimulates an unknown part of the brain, opening a psychic door to the absolute.' He observes, 'crystals continuously put out electric-like radio waves. Since the brain does the same thing, they naturally interact.' He has found, too, that periodic happenings in the crystal skull are due to the positions of the sun, moon and planets in the sky.

Researcher Marianne Zezelic agrees that the skull was primarily used to stimulate and amplify the psychic abilities in its handlers. She observes: "Crystal serves as an accumulator of terrestial magnetism. By gazing at the crystal, the eyes set up a harmonic relation stimulating the magnetism collected in that portion of the brain known as the cerebellum."

The cerebellum therefore becomes a reservoir of magnetism, which influences the quality of the magnetic outflow through the eyes, thus setting up a continuous flow of magnetism between gazer and crystal. The amount of energy entering the brain eventually increases to such a proportion as to affect the poles of the brain, a region extending just above the eyes, contributing to psychic phenomena.'

Tom Bearden goes a step further. As an expert in the field of psychotronic studies, believes that, in the hands of a skilled meditator and mental focaliser. The crystal skull also served not only as a vehicle to transform life field energy into electromagnetic energy and other physical effects, but also aided in healing. It did this by the altering of its crystalline resonance to match that of a patient's mind and body frequencies, and affecting curing energies on the skull that would manifest in the patient's auric field. The skull should thus be used as an amplifier and a transmitter of psychic and earth energy forces.

When looking at the sum total of skill and knowledge incorporated in the Mitchell-Hedges skull, modern science is stumped as to how to explain it. Author Garvin summarised the findings in these words: 'It is virtually impossible today, in the time when men have climbed mountains on the moon, to duplicate this achievement.

The lenses, light pipes, and prisms alone display a technical competence that the human race only achieved recently. In fact, there is no one on the globe today who could attempt to duplicate the carving. It would not be a question of skill, patience and time. It would simply be impossible.