More and more artefacts made of meteorites and tektites are being found in the world. In 2003, as a member of The Meteoritical Society in the USA, I postulated and proposed the creation of a new group in the table of meteorites known to science, so that the new group would include artefacts made of meteorites. I included my postulates in the article “Artifacts in Polish collection made of meteoritic iron” (2004), published in the USA in the journal “Meteoritics & Planetary Science”. In this article, I also suggested that we do not have to look for meteorites in the field, but also in places that seem to us to have already been explored. These are museums around the world. It is simply that some objects, or scientific research, should be re-verified using specialist research methods using the most modern scientific equipment. Moreover, there may be other artefacts made of meteoritic iron in museums that museum staff are not even aware of. Therefore, preliminary inspections and then comprehensive studies of selected artefacts are necessary.

REKLAMA

The use of meteorites by various civilizations over the past few thousand years is already beginning to be well documented. According to the latest published studies, the composition of all iron artifacts from the Bronze Age is consistent with the meteoritic origin of the metal.

After a series of recent discoveries around the world, many scientists are dealing with such monuments. Is there any hope of creating a meteorite subgroup „Meteorites – Monuments of Material Art” in the World Meteoritical Catalogue – „Meteoritical Bulletin” maintained in London, UK. I hope so.

Recently, by chance, I read an article by a group of Moroccan scientists who described the recent discovery (2020) in the Grand Atlas Mountains in Morocco, of three iron daggers. The discovery took place in towns near Imilchil and Missour in Morocco. (https://www.mdpi.com/2571-9408/5/3/72 )

All measurements were made on polished sections of blades. For comparison purposes, two classified iron meteorites found in the same areas were used, i.e. the iron meteorite called Agoudal, discovered near the village of Imilchil in the High Atlas Mountains and classified in the magmatic iron group IIAB] and the iron meteorite Oglat Sidi Ali, which was found in 2013 near the village of Maatarka in Morocco. These were the first such finds in this country. The structural, mineralogical and compositional characteristics of the three artifacts were determined using scanning electron microscopy – energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) using JEOL JSM IT1000 at the Scientific Research Center of the Faculty of Sciences of Ibn Zohr University.

As the researchers emphasize in the conclusion of the publication – „The discovery of iron dagger blades in the Moroccan High Atlas would suggest that the ancient exploitation of iron in Morocco included meteoritic iron as a source of metal. This study is the first scientific report on the iron industry in the High Atlas, based on fragments of iron meteorites. However, many other meteorite artifacts can be found in this region. Therefore, cooperation between collectors and the University Museum of Meteorites should be developed in order to develop methods for researching artificial meteorite artifacts. According to Kotowiecki [ 2 ], meteorite artifacts should not be underestimated, because despite the modifications they still have an extraterrestrial origin and should be registered as meteorites. „

 

This is not the first article to refer to my publication. Therefore, I also have great satisfaction that many scientists refer to my article on monuments made from meteorites in their publications.

Another example of a scientist who has been tracking artifacts made from meteorites for several years is Dr. Albert Jambon, a researcher from the Université Côte D’Azur and Sorbonne Universités in France. He has the latest research technology, which makes it easy to study the relics without damaging them.

Dr. Jambon examined a series of iron artifacts from the Bronze Age: iron beads from Gerzeh (Egypt, 3200 BC), a dagger from Alaca Höyük (Turkey, 2500 BC), a pendant from Umm el-Marra (Syria, 2300 BC), an axe from Ugarit (Syria, 1400 BC), several others from the Shang civilization (China, 1400 BC) and the dagger, bracelet and headrest of Tutankhamun (Egypt, 1350 BC).

Ancient artifacts made from meteorites are protected worldwide, like any relics, by special laws regarding cultural property. Therefore, attention should be paid to whether they are subject to illegal trade. Despite everything, in my opinion, a detailed catalog should be prepared for performing the protection of these meteorite objects, so that they can be found more easily in the event of theft or unrest and wars in the world.

And by the way, I also postulate and strongly encourage that when visiting antique fairs, you also pay attention to old metal objects. 

 

Sources ;

  1. Albert Jambon. 2017. Bronze Age Iron: Meteorite or Not? Chemical strategy. Journal of Archaeological Science 88: 47-53; doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2017.09.008, https://hal.science/hal-01614724/
  2. Ibhi, A.; Ouknine, L.; Khiri, F.; Ait Touchnt, A.; Nachit, H.; De Pascal, O.; Senesi, G. S. Meteorite Origin of Moroccan Iron Dagger Blades. Legacy 2022, 5, 1395-1400. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5030072 
  3. Kotowiecki Andrzej „Artifacts in Polish collection made of meteoritic iron” vol. 39 Supplement, August 2004, pp. A151 – A156 [6stron] METEORITICS & PLANETARY SCIENCE file:///C:/Users/Win_10/Downloads/15009-17345-1-PB%20(3).pdf
  4. Kotowiecki Andrzej, (2003), Polskie zabytki wykonane z żelaza meteorytowego, materiały, II Seminarium Meteorytowe, 24-26 kwietnia, Olsztyn 2003, s. 55-64. Plik PDF, http://www.ptmet.org.pl/old/wydawnictwa/2003%2007%20Kotowiecki.pdf
  5. Kotowiecki Andrzej, (2016), Polskie zabytki wykonane z żelaza meteorytowego, Meteoryt, 1, 2016, s. 18-22. Plik PDf, http://meteoryt.info/Met116.pdf
  6. Kotowiecki Andrzej, (2020), Polskie zabytki z żelaza meteorytowego, Pressmania.pl, http://pressmania.pl/polskie-zabytki-z-zelaza-meteorytowego/ 
  7. Kotowiecki Andrzej, (2021), Zabytkowe artefakty wykonane z meteorytów i tektytów (Historic artifacts made of meteorites and tektites), Acta Soc. Metheor. Polon., 12, 2021, s. 73-80. Plik ASMP., https://bibliotekanauki.pl/articles/1830275
  8. Kotowiecki Andrzej, (2022), Tektyty i szkliwo impaktowe w świetle badań i odkryć archeologicznych na świecie (Tektites and impact glaize in the light of research and archaeological discoveries in the world), Acta Soc. Metheor. Polon., 13, 2022, s. 60-66. Plik ASMP. https://bibliotekanauki.pl/articles/2034023
  9. Kotowiecki Andrzej, (2023), Najstarsze dowody archeologiczne i relacje tekstowe o różnych spadkach skał z kosmosu w najstarszej historii ludzkości (The oldest archaeological evidence and textual accounts of various rock falls from space in the oldest human history), Acta Soc. Metheor. Polon., 14, 2023, s. 86-92. Plik ASMP, https://bibliotekanauki.pl/articles/2195007
  10.  Kotowiecki Andrzej, (2021), „Meteorytowa” podkowa ze wsi Jastrzębia k/Lanckorony”, Pressmania.pl, http://pressmania.pl/meteorytowa-podkowa-ze-wsi-jastrzebia-k-lanckorony/

 

About the author: Andrzej Kotowiecki

Born in Wadowice, Poland in 1954. A lawyer by education, studies at the Jagiellonian University In Krakow Poland, a prosecutor by profession, a historian, archaeologist, geologist, paleontologist, religious scholar, collector and traveler by passion. Founding member of the Polish Meteorites Society.