Meet Fred – the devilishly handsome life-sized crystal skull who has taken up residence in Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s mineral collection.
Fred’s spooky style has earned him somewhat of a local “cult following” said Marc Wilson, head of the minerals section, who named the 13.5-pound quartz carving.
If you’re wondering how we acquired a crystal skull, the answer probably isn’t as exciting as you might expect. Unlike Indiana Jones, our curators did not have to swing from vines, raid a tomb, or crack a whip to get Fred into our museum’s halls.
Wilson said that there are legends of crystal skulls that were carved by ancient civilizations, like in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” but no such skulls have ever been discovered.
Fred was donated to the museum in 2004 by a Brazilian carving company. Wilson said carving marks indicate that he was made using modern carving tools and techniques.
While Fred may not be the most valuable item in the gems and mineral collection, he’s certainly one of the most novel.
“He makes for a great joke on Halloween when we stick him out in the hall,” Wilson said.
