10. The Opal Skull

The Opal Skull

Size: ~2cm high x ~4cm long

Material: Opal-Agate

Restored: Yes (was covered by gangue).

Provenance: Mojave Desert (California part), USA

Estimated period: Upper Paleolithic

Information: This piece is a representation of a skull. What is extraordinary about this artifact is the fact that the original artist apparently opened the stone, hollowed out inside and re-glued the two sides (we known that they known how to attach two materials together). By illuminating the piece, we can see through the holes that the piece is empty inside.

If this is not enough, the underside of the skull is carved in a manner where every direction you turn it (even slightly), a new likeness can be seen. The same story previously seen appears again:

The storyboard (click on picture to magnify)

1. There is a man who has a pet that went everywhere the man went by riding on his head.

2. One day, a hungry monster came up behind them
3. ...and eats the man's pet.

4. The man forces the monster to open his mouth, and see the pet inside.

5. He cuts the monster's face off

6. The man try to put his pet on his head again, but his pet is dead...

7. The man trought about his pet and was very sad because his pet was now a spirit.

8. The Great Spirit came, got his pet, and flew away to heaven.

9. The man is sad and thinks about his pet till he gets old.

10. Then, one day, the man dies just like his pet.

11. Later in Heaven, the man, the pet and the monster, all sit together and remember how the man went through all that sadness for nothing...