News Anthropology

They’re fake, Indy!

Two allegedly pre-Columbian crystal skulls turn out to be counterfeits

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

Welcome to this summer’s scientific blockbuster, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skullduggery.” In his latest cinematic adventure, the bullwhip-cracking Jones chases down an ancient skull carved out of crystal that contains supernatural powers.

CRYSTAL COUNTERFEIT New research indicates that this crystal skull, housed at the Smithsonian Institution, was made in the 1950s, not by Aztecs more than 500 years ago as some have thought.