In 1898, a flawless human skull carved from a single piece of quartz arrived at the British Museum, believed to have been crafted in Mesoamerica. Its perfect craftsmanship and rumours of supernatural powers sparked fascination and debate. Skulls were common in Mesoamerican art and rituals, symbolising rebirth and the continuity of life, yet crystal skulls are extraordinarily rare, with only around a dozen ever discovered worldwide. Scattered across museums and private collections, these artefact