XENOBIBLIA

Crystal Skulls
Ancient Artifacts: Crystal Skulls
Created 12/7/2002 - Updated 4/14/2002

1. Mystery Summary | 2. Max: Chain of Custody | 3. Strange Claims | 4. Healing Claims / Placebos | 5. Holographic Images / Data Storage | 6. Cognitive Biases / Wishful Thinking | 7. Interview | 8. Xeno's Crystal Skull | 9. Other Skulls | 10. Mitchell-Hedges Skull | 11. Growing Crystal Skulls

JoAnn Parks has the most amazing green eyes. We were amused to imagine that she is imbued with some supernatural energy (or perhaps wears colored contacts?) but were too fascinated by her brief presentation to ask about this. Her booklet, The Story of Max, describes how she and her husband obtained the skull from Norbu Chen, a Tibetan healer, when he died in 1980. They eventually hooked up with Nick Nocerino, an authority on crystal skulls, who researched Max and determined the artifact was found in a tomb in Guatemala between 1924 and 1926. Other crystal skulls have been found in Mayan tombs in Mexico and Central and South America.

The following are some claims regarding this crystal skull: 1. Max represents the great culture of visitors from another star system. 2. He is a computer able to store and replay events from the history of man or the universe. 3. He enhances, activates and expands the mind. 4. He stores holographic images activated through light, sound and human energy.

Ancient crystal skulls are pretty cool and we would not put down anyone's positive experiences but a curious person should seek out the mechanisms by which things work. For example, why not conduct parallel healing rituals with Max under one tarp and an ordinary skull-shaped rock under another to see if subjects reporting positive results can tell the difference? Many positive results, with real physical changes can result due to the Placebo Effect. The power of faith healing is quite remarkable but need not have a metaphysical component. Consider this question: "Does it really matter if a person is tricked into getting better using his/her body's own healing powers?" Why expose a trick that works? Because, if it is a trick and if it does work, then one would not need a 10,000 year old crystal skull to perform amazing cures! One could just get a "magic twig" or a "power toenail" or whatever and perform a ritual and VIOLA! Cure!

Perhaps t he secret is this: a mind, YOUR MIND, when sufficiently primed is capable of healing and strengthening your body to an astonishing degree.

Holographic Images / Data Storage

Real holographic images may be photographed. While they no longer appear three dimensional, the photographs of holographs may be seen by anyone. Claims regarding Max that "Not everyone is able to see these (holographic) images" (stored in the crystal) do not make much sense from this point of view.

Since we are aware of no facts supporting claims about healing or data storage regarding Max, it is reasonable to consider such ideas represent wishful thinking. We all have psychological biases and we are subject to illusions of thought. Due to human nature, if a story is pleasing, it will be passed on (perhaps for many many generations) regardless of its basis in fact. The same is still true today.

We only asked a few questions. Mostly we just listened because JoAnn had a lot to say in a very short time.

JoAnn Parks: "(the Crystal Skull) records information about the history, destiny and purpose of mankind and answers to the great mystery of life in the universe. One day, all the true ancient crystal skulls will be re-found, will be re-discovered and will be brought together for their collective wisdom to be made available. But mankind first has to be sufficiently evolved. For one, his spiritualism is not to be forgone. It is said that (the preceeding) legend has been handed down over thousands of years by native Americans, including the Mayan and Aztec descendants of Central America, the Hopi, the Navaho (and) the Cherokee have all had their legends like this. Now this is only one of two. Now Nick Nocereno who lives right here in Northern California, he owns the other one. Max comes from Guatemala he was given to me by a Tibetan monk, that's in the book. He (the monk) was an American. He was the only American--he was a very high profile person in the 70's-- who studied to become a Red Hat Llama and came out alive. He was backed and found by our fourteenth Apollo Astronaut Edgar Mitchell, including the late Yul Brenner. They all backed him.

AmyAnne: Didn't Edgar Mitchell have one of these skulls?

JoAnn Parks: In fact, Edgar Mitchell wrote a book only five years ago called The Way of the Explorer. There's a whole chapter in there. He studied a very early form of Tibetan Buddhism. It goes way way back thousands of years and (is) chock full of ancient Tibetan Shamanistic practices. He wanted to be a healer. He worked with interpreters and Medicine Men. He bought the skull, it was given to him and he started a healing foundation called (???). And that was in honor of the medical school in Laskool(?) Tibet. They use the skull as a healing tool, a spiritual healing tool.

(It has been used in) alot of native American ceremonies. It was right in the sweat lodge, (and has been used in) sacred rites. He (Max) has been down in lava tubes with Tibetan Rimpoche and with Don Alejandro who's the head elder of the Guatemala Mayan Council. They come in and talk Mayan, so this business goes way back.

When the British museum did the documentary, they didn't find any markings on it indicating it's new. And it's got so many cracks in it, that they know it had to be hand done totally over hundreds of years. So this is one of the ancient skulls and yet a chiropractor confirmed that it is so anatomically looking, it looks like it's been cast. But it hasn't. They know because these crystals are very difficult to carve they will shatter very easily. So when they cut they want it fairly clear and if they hit a little crack, a little bubble, (it shatters). This (Max) has many cracks in it that you can put your fingernail in. It couldn't have been made with a diamond. So this is the only two, Max and Shanar?.

Nick Nocerino is the foremost expert on crystal skulls. He's 76. He's been researching for over 55 years. He started having dreams and images of crystals skulls at the age of 9. He's a paranormal researcher. He's helped the police find missing people.

Xeno: What material is Max carved from?

JoAnn Parks: It's quartz crystal. To a carver, it's junk quartz. We couldn't use it today because of all the cracks in it.

Xeno: What's the MOH scale hardness of this quartz, do you know?

JoAnn Parks: It's a 7. Which means it takes diamond-tipped tools or something harder to carve it. Diamond's the hardest at 10. Very difficult to carve, somewhat brittle, very easily to shatter.

Xeno: And what's the estimate on the age of Max?

JoAnn Parks: Your indigenous peoples will put it back many many thousands of years ...some of your other people will take it back to 36,000 years to 10,000 years. ... They know it's pre-Columbian and they know it pre-dates Mayans.

Regardless of the validity of metaphysical claims, I enjoyed looking at and holding the small crystal skulls for sale at JoAnn's display. From several skulls carved by hand with modern tools from a variety of materials I purchased one of quartz. I still have not named it. Any ideas? According to JoAnn, a quartz skull of the size I purchased takes a few hours to a few days. Given the detail, I was surprised by that. As you can see in the photos on this page, there are little cracks and imperfections, but the surface is smooth.

If the large cracks in Max make carving impossible, how do we know that the cracks did not appear AFTER the skull was carved? Can intense vibration, sound, chemicals or physical force crack a quartz crystal skull? Perhaps I'll play around with mine a bit later.

 

In a follow up interview, someone who attended the workshop said she experienced powerful pulsations when placing her hands upon Max. She recommended I spend the $50 for this experience the next time JoAnn is in town.