CHESTERTON, Ind. -- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, perhaps the blockbuster of the summer, has a close connection to Indiana that many don't know about.

The inspiration for the film may live in Chesterton, in northern Indiana, 6News' Jennifer Carmack reported.

In the latest installment of Indiana Jones, Indy is searching for the mysterious crystal skull. Whoever returns it to its temple will be given control of its power.

Though there are several in existence, the premise of the movie is based on the world famous Mitchell-Hedges skull.

"The Mitchell-Hedges skull is something that there's more mystery around it than anything you would probably imagine," said Bill Homann, who currently has the skull. "The story of Mitchell-Hedges is really a very complex story, too, just like the crystal skull, and it's neat that people now are going to find it interesting."

According to the story, the daughter of adventurer F.A. Mitchell-Hedges discovered the skull beneath a collapsed temple in what is now Belize in 1924.

Homann cared for Anna Mitchell-Hedges until her death last year, which is when she passed it to him.

"It's definitely changed my life. It changes people's lives that come in contact with it, and since I'm with it all the time, I could tell you some stories," Homann said.

Aside from being an impressive work of art, some believe the skull has mythical powers and that it can reflect a person's inner self.

"It shows a person, inadvertently without them knowing, what they really are about and what they really need," Homann said.

The origin of the skull is under a cloud of controversy. One belief is that the skulls date back more than 17,000 years to the Mayans and were used to will death, which is why Mitchell-Hedges called it the skull of doom. Others contend that the skulls are fake and were manufactured in 19th-century Germany.

What is not in question is the spectacular craftsmanship. The 11-pound skull is solid quartz crystal, with a detachable jaw. Gemstone experts said it was cut against the grain and should have shattered.

"What you're seeing is an impossible thing, because in modern technology, we cannot create the crystal skull," Homann said. "That's what makes it so unique. There was some civilization … that had the advanced technology to make this skull."

Homann traveled to see the Mayan ruins where the skull was purportedly found for a special that aired on the Sci-Fi channel last week.

More Info: www.mitchell-hedges.com