If you want to read the F A Mitchell-Hedges "take" on the finding of the skull (as well as his other adventures) check out his book "Danger My Ally" ("self published " ?by a company called Mitchell-Hedges and Honey in 1995)
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Indy might approve...
He wasn't much into the magical properties of items, so I decided to post some of the scientific properties of crystal so the magical properties might be explained:
The reason the crystal skull attracted so much attention when it was analyzed, was because they found some pretty amazing results. Researchers found that the skull had been carved against the natural axis of the crystal. Even modern crystal sculptors follow the axis, or orientation of the crystal's molecular symmetry, because if they carve "against the grain," the piece shatters, even with the use of lasers and other modern cutting methods.
Quartz crystal also has an electric charge that supposedly draws gold atoms to it, creating a bluish color. That could explain a blue “glow”…
Quartz is also strongly piezoelectric (so it is used as a radio oscillator to control transmission and reception on fixed frequencies. This same property is used in watches and clocks where a tiny quartz plate is used to control the radio frequency of the electronic circuitry for more precise time-telling).
I'm not saying I'm not open-minded enough to consider other-worldy properties of items, I just though I'd present what I found out.
Just food for thought…
what color is the skull in the movie I got a picture where its blue and one where its clear and one black
But good point about kennedy sound pretty bizzare 2 me 2.
Location: In the Map Room playing with a laser pointer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Toht's Arm
Did the Beards have him killed after stealing his idea...?
Probably, but in an ironic twist of fate, they are attempting to raise him from the dead for Indy 5 inspiration as well (ZOMBIES BABY!!!!). Problem is, they can't use his resurrection for a plot device until after they've succeeded. Turns out it's a little tougher than they thought. Catch 22.
Probably should have consulted JasperMoon before killing him.
A few of the crystal skulls, according to research experts, are 20th Century frauds. However, no so-called expert has been able to disprove imperically the validity of the Mitchell-Hedges skull. Experts find the aspects of its discovery suspicious but this is no proof of a hoax. While on the dig-site in Belize, Mitchell-Hedges told his daughter in the morning that there was sure be a discovery of something special on that day- her birthday. His daughter later climbed atop a ruins and peered down into an opening to see soemthing gleeming from a shaft of sunlight. Only she was small enough to be lowered into the pit to retrieve the skull. The mandable was later discovered elsewhere on the site. Had she not chosen to climb the ruins at that very moment when the sun was shining into that tiny opening, she would never have seen the hint of a glimmer reflecting off a partially buried crystal skull. Being that she was the only one who could fit into the hole, she would also be the only person to place it there in the event that it was a hoax. However, unilke other skulls that were "discovered" by single individuals, there were too many diggers on this particular site that would have noticed a shady deal and could easily have garnered their own attention by speaking to the press about a hoax. I think it's more likely that the coincidences favor a legitimate find than the contrary in this particular case.
A few of the crystal skulls, according to research experts, are 20th Century frauds. However, no so-called expert has been able to disprove imperically the validity of the Mitchell-Hedges skull. Experts find the aspects of its discovery suspicious but this is no proof of a hoax. While on the dig-site in Belize, Mitchell-Hedges told his daughter in the morning that there was sure be a discovery of something special on that day- her birthday. His daughter later climbed atop a ruins and peered down into an opening to see soemthing gleeming from a shaft of sunlight. Only she was small enough to be lowered into the pit to retrieve the skull. The mandable was later discovered elsewhere on the site. Had she not chosen to climb the ruins at that very moment when the sun was shining into that tiny opening, she would never have seen the hint of a glimmer reflecting off a partially buried crystal skull. Being that she was the only one who could fit into the hole, she would also be the only person to place it there in the event that it was a hoax. However, unilke other skulls that were "discovered" by single individuals, there were too many diggers on this particular site that would have noticed a shady deal and could easily have garnered their own attention by speaking to the press about a hoax. I think it's more likely that the coincidences favor a legitimate find than the contrary in this particular case.
It was pretty much debunked by auction records and other evidence. The daughter continued the myth because she made money out of claiming it had supernatural powers.
Records that the daughter actually bought the skull or records that she sold the skull?
There was a documentary a few years ago in which they dug up the auction records showing Mitchell-Hedges purchased the skull. He then allegedly fabricated the story of finding it himself.
There's a thread here somewhere devoted to that program.
Unless something has come to light recently, the sale records that I'm familiar with are from the 1940s when Mitchell-Hedges had to put the skull up for collateral on an earlier IOU. The records don't indicate to what services the IOU was for. This leaves room for speculation, but there hasn't been enough evidence to kill the belief that the Mitchell-Hedges skull is genuine. Theories are often layed to rest about it such as one researcher claimed the skull was made of seperate pieces of crystal while later researchers rebuked that not only is the skull made from a single quartz crystal, but the mandible is from the same crystal as well. I, myself, am on the fence about the skulls as being genuine or fraudulent. I think this is a mystery that some of us secretly hope won't ever be solved. It's just too much fun.
Unless something has come to light recently, the sale records that I'm familiar with are from the 1940s when Mitchell-Hedges had to put the skull up for collateral on an earlier IOU. The records don't indicate to what services the IOU was for. This leaves room for speculation, but there hasn't been enough evidence to kill the belief that the Mitchell-Hedges skull is genuine. Theories are often layed to rest about it such as one researcher claimed the skull was made of seperate pieces of crystal while later researchers rebuked that not only is the skull made from a single quartz crystal, but the mandible is from the same crystal as well. I, myself, am on the fence about the skulls as being genuine or fraudulent. I think this is a mystery that some of us secretly hope won't ever be solved. It's just too much fun.
Been a while since I saw the documentary. I think it came out at the time of KOTCS.
It went through various stages of debunking. France comes to mind as to where they said the skull was made.
