When the print version of Strange Magazine first launched in 1987, there were two known life-size quartz crystal skulls. One was allegedly discovered by adventurer F. A. Mitchell Hedges in Central America; the other, of murky origins, resided in the British Museum.
Strange Magazine founder Mark Chorvinsky was fascinated by these archeological mysteries and over a period of years did an in-depth study of both of these strange artifacts. His investigation ranged from spending days in the British Museum, gaining access to their "secret" crystal skull file, to interviewing people intimately involved with the skulls and their lore, including Anna Mitchell-Hedges, the daughter of F. A. Mitchell-Hedges, who is often credited with finding the skull bearing her father's name.
Mark published his findings in Strange Magazine Issues 1 and 3, in 1987 and 1988 respectively. In typical Chorvinsky style these are exhaustively researched articles that are valuable reference sources for anyone wanting to know the details behind the skulls.
Both articles, and related material, are presented here, for the first time online, in their entirety. They have not been edited or updated, but appear exactly as when first published.
For years one of the most popular artifacts on exhibit at the British Museum was a life-size human skull carved out of quartz crystal. Often confused with the more famous Mitchell-Hedges skull, this quartz sculpture has a cryptic story of its own. This article was first published in Strange Magazine Issue 1, in 1987.
"The Skull of Doom" is the most famous of the crystal skulls, and the one with the most lore surrounding it. The story of the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull involves exotic adventure, scientific investigations, occult claims and rumors of fraud. This article is from Strange Magazine Issue 3, 1998.
F. A. Mitchell-Hedges, while not exactly Indiana Jones, was a colorful character in his own right. Much of the core mythos surrounding the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull was created by Mitchell-Hedges, so to evaluate the claims made by him requires an examination of the man himself.
While working for Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Frank Dorland conducted scientific tests on the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull. Here, in excerpts from interviews with Mark Chorvinksy, Dorland discusses some of the strange phenomena surrounding the skull.
Over the years the Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull has attracted its share of enthusiasts of the occult. Beliefs concerning psychic phenomena, UFOs, and Atlantis have taken their place next to the other legends surrounding the skull. Here is an overview of some of these claims.