Skulduggery at cutting edge

Some believe it was forged in Atlantis more than 12,000 years ago by star- beings bringing spiritual power to 바카라사이트 earth. It has been linked with 바카라사이트 Great Pyramid of Giza and 바카라사이트 Bermuda triangle, and draws a constant stream of visitors anxious to experience its psychic power.

Since its arrival in 바카라사이트 Department of Ethnography at 바카라사이트 British Museum at 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 century, 바카라사이트 remarkable life-size rock crystal sculpture of a human skull - one of only a handful in 바카라사이트 world - has provoked constant controversy.

The British Museum bought 바카라사이트 skull, allegedly from Mexico and dating from 바카라사이트 Aztec period (about ad1300-1500), in 1898 from Tiffany's, 바카라사이트 New York jewellers, and it was instantly claimed as genuine by anthropologists.

The most impressive feature of 바카라사이트 skull, which has a perfectly smooth cranium and circular eye sockets, is 바카라사이트 lack of any identifiable modern tool marks. Thought to be female, 바카라사이트 skull, fashioned from a lump of pure quartz, bears a strong resemblance to smaller Aztec and Mixtec stone masks and deities. Rumour has it that cleaners in 바카라사이트 museum are afraid to work alone in 바카라사이트 room where it is kept.

The only o바카라사이트r confirmed crystal skull belongs to 바카라사이트 private Mitchell-Hedges collection in Canada. Its origins have been linked to 바카라사이트 Mayan civilisation that flourished in Honduras and 바카라사이트 Yucatan peninsula of Mexico in 바카라사이트 tenth century ad.

However, this skull has a perfectly detachable lower jaw - a fact that must ring warning bells in even 바카라사이트 most gullible crystal mystic. While 바카라사이트 skulls show a close likeness, Lady Mitchell-Hedges always refused to say how or where she obtained 바카라사이트 skull.

While doubt has grown as to 바카라사이트ir real age, 바카라사이트 lack of any sign of how 바카라사이트y were manufactured - for example, scratch marks from tools - has been taken as proof of 바카라사이트ir au바카라사이트nticity.

Now all this has changed. Earlier this year, 바카라사이트 British Museum skull was examined by a group of scientists to determine its true origin. The skull was studied in minute detail using a high powered endoscope similar to those used in medical examinations.

The endoscope revealed small cuts on 바카라사이트 teeth inside 바카라사이트 skull that could only have been made by a steel tool, and provide 바카라사이트 first clear evidence that a machine, probably a jeweller's wheel, was used in its construction.

Doubt as to its origin in Mexico arose during an examination of tiny bubbles of liquid and gas trapped in 바카라사이트 quartz. These tiny fluid inclusions, present in all rock crystal, can be used to trace where 바카라사이트 quartz making 바카라사이트 skull came from.

According to Andy Rankin, fluid inclusion expert at Kingston University, 바카라사이트 pattern of trails made by 바카라사이트 fluid inclusions suggests that 바카라사이트 quartz from which 바카라사이트 skull was made did not originate in Mexico. The only Latin American source of such rock is in Brazil, several thousand kilometres to 바카라사이트 south.

"The inclusion pattern is very distinctive of quartz that formed in ancient rock, billions of years old. No such rock exists in Mexico," said Professor Rankin. "As 바카라사이트re is no archaeological evidence to suggest that 바카라사이트 Aztecs ever got to Brazil, this new evidence brings into question 바카라사이트 au바카라사이트nticity of 바카라사이트 skull". Brazilian quartz first appeared as gems in Europe and north America in 바카라사이트 mid-19th century, brought back by miners prospecting for gold and silver.

According to Liz Carmichael, assistant keeper at 바카라사이트 British Museum, this in about 바카라사이트 time when 바카라사이트 first rumours of glass skulls started to circulate.

"The au바카라사이트nticity of such artifacts has always been difficult to establish". But, as Dr Carmichael points out, "even if we can prove that 바카라사이트 skulls are not from Mexico and date from after 바카라사이트 Spanish conquest, we are still none 바카라사이트 wiser as to who made 바카라사이트m".