"Skull of Doom"

This skull artifact is known as the "Skull of Doom" and the "Mitchell-Hedges Skull."  It is made of clear quartz, is five inches (thirteen centimeters) high, seven inches (eighteen cm) long and five inches (thirteen cm) wide.  About the size of a small human cranium, the object cannot be carbon-dated (because it is made of quartz).

It is the subject of huge controversy.  Who made it?  When?  What does it stand for?  Does it have "sacred" powers?  Is it Mayan?  Is it fake?

According to the "official" Mitchell-Hedges web site: 

In 1970, art restorer Frank Dorland was given permission to submit the skull to tests at the internal Hewlett-Packard Laboratories. According to Dorland, the skull had been carved with total disregard to the natural crystal axis and no metal tools were used.

Dorland claimed he was unable to find any tell-tale scratch marks, except for traces of mechanical grinding on the teeth. From tiny patterns near the carved surfaces, Dorland determined it was first chiselled into rough form, probably using diamonds. The finer shaping, grinding and polishing, Frederick claimed, was done with sand over a period of 150 to 300 years.

Controversy, and debate, about the artifact continues.