Indiana Jones in Peru
Crystal Skulls, the Mayas, the Aztecs, and the Incas
The new Indiana Jones movie the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull takes us where archeologist/adventurer Indy has rarely went in movies past: Latin America.
The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is believed to take place in Latin America, although exact locations have yet to be released. The legend of Crystal Skulls is a storied one, mostly involving forged artifacts, although partly involving real finds. The movie is set to take Indy, aka Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr. or Harrison Ford, to New Mexico, Connecticut, Mexico City and the jungles and ruins of Peru in a race with the Soviets to find the Crystal Skull of Akator, an artifact created by aliens, the lost city of Atlantis, or the Ancient Mayans.
Crystal Skulls have been reportedly found since the 1860s near ancient Maya or Aztec ruins with some traces of ties to Peruvian civilizations such as the Nazca and were believed to be between 5,000 and 36,000 years old. There are believed to be 13 skulls that have been found, that diehards believed when all together would reveal some sort of ancient power. They were once displayed in the Smithsonian and other history museums around the world, however, most turned out to be fakes manufactured in Germany in the 19th century. Some are an tiny, just an inch high. Others are life size.
The Most Famous Crystal Skulls
The British Crystal Skull and the Paris Crystal Skull, which are on display in museums were believed to have been found in Mexico in the 1890’s and are almost exact replicas of each otherThe British Crystal Skull is on display at London's Museum of Mankind, and the Trocadero Museum of Paris houses the Paris Crystal Skull.
The Texas Skull, sometimes called Max, is an 18 pound piece of clear crystal that was believed to have come from Guatemala.
The ET Skull, thought to have come from Central America, is owned by a woman named Joke, who believes it has supernatural powers.
The Rose Quartz Crystal Skull, found on the Guatemala Honduras border, has a removable mandible.
Talgua Caves of Honduras
On a similar note in Honduras, the Talgua Caves or Cuevas de Rio Talgua, 10 kilometers northeast of the town of Catacamas were discovered in 1994. They have been nicknamed the Cave of the Glowing Skulls. Inside were the remains of hundreds of Pre-Colombian people that date back approximately 2,000 years. Mineral deposits in the cave dripped on the remains and crystallized many of the bones and skulls, making them appear phosphorescent. The cave can be visited by tourists, although the chambers with the remains are off limits.
More On The Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls
The trailer of the movie reveals images of indigenous tribes, the Devil’s Throat - the most impressive section of Argentina’s part of Iguazu Falls - and what appear to be parts of the Amazon rainforest.
The film is set for worldwide release on May 22, 2008. It is the fourth film in the Indiana Jones series directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by George Lucas and Frank Marshall. Cate Blanchett, Shia LaBeouf, and John Hurt also star.
Indy went to Peru once before in Raiders of the Lost Arc. In the Amazon jungle in 1936, our hero begins the film by rescuing a lost idol from an unidentified temple. As he leaves the temple a rival archeologist armed with natives is there to take it from him.
