Continuing Legend of the Crystal Skulls

Two weeks ago, I linked to a National Geographic article about the real counterfeit crystal skulls in museums around the world. The Legend of the Crystal Skulls, not-starring Harrison Ford, continues this month in Archaeology magazine. Jane MacLaren Walsh, an anthropologist at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, has spent almost two decades analyzing crystal skulls in search of the "real" thing. The trail led her to an "obtainer of rare antiquities" in 19th century France named Eugène Boban. The Archaeology article also features a special bonus sidebar on the carving that inspired the golden idol Indy almost nabs at the beginning of Raders of the Lost Ark! (Curses, Belloq!) Link (Thanks, Bob Pescovitz!)

Previously on BB:
• National Geographic on the real fake crystal skulls Link

[#1 posted by trikitixa , June 9, 2008 4:42 PM]

Funny that in that sidebar article they don't mention that Tlatzolteotl (the goddess depicted in the golden idol from Indiana Jones) is the goddess of excrement, since it looks like she's, um...drowning some butt snakes.

[#2 posted by AverageJane , June 9, 2008 5:59 PM]

Archaeology magazine has an interesting article about crystal skulls in its current issue as well: http://www.archaeology.org/0805/etc/indy.html

[#3 posted by David Pescovitz , June 9, 2008 9:38 PM]

@AVERAGEJANE (#2), Yes, that's the article I talk about and link to in the post you're commenting on. ; )

[#4 posted by Marsellus , June 10, 2008 12:58 AM]

You can read more about this, and particularly about Eugene Boban in this article, published a few weeks ago in Libération, a french newspaper.

Obviously, it's in French : http://www.liberation.fr/culture/325982.FR.php

[#5 posted by Jeroenemans , June 10, 2008 4:53 AM]

@trikitixa #1 ... Wikipedia says she is the goddess of filth AND vice... maybe something is going up instead of down??

[#6 posted by trikitixa , June 10, 2008 11:01 AM]

@5: Actually, she's giving birth. I left that part out.

[#7 posted by Jcook , June 13, 2008 10:33 AM]

There is an article on Smithsonian.com about the crystal skull with a video gallery and other related links:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/The_Smithsonians_Crystal_Skull.html