The popularity of last year’s action blockbuster “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” brought renewed interest to a niche of Mesoamerican art. Crystal skulls have been discovered as artifacts and stored in museums and private collections. These skulls are themselves replicas of actual human skulls with some level of artistic license. The shape and color of the crystal goes a long way in determining a piece’s overall aesthetic effect.
Modern day craftsmen and craftswomen continue the tradition of carving crystal skulls. There are numerous apocryphal tales that imbue these skulls with supernatural powers. They have been said to cure diseases or enable the owner to become clairvoyant. For most people, however, crystal skulls make a striking decorative piece for the home.
