Study Identifies 9 Meteorite-Iron Rings Among 91 Bronze Age Greek Artifacts
Updated
Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 14
Study Identifies 9 Meteorite-Iron Rings Among 91 Bronze Age Greek Artifacts
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 14
Summary
Nine iron rings from Bronze Age Greece were confirmed as extraterrestrial after researchers screened 91 artifacts from 33 sites for high nickel content, the chemical marker of meteoritic iron.
Thirteen rings initially showed elevated nickel in portable X-ray fluorescence tests, but only nine could be definitively traced to meteorites, indicating a narrow and specialized use of the metal.
Most of the confirmed rings came from Minoan and Mycenaean tombs alongside gold, silver, amber and other luxury goods, suggesting the jewelry functioned as elite status symbols.
Egypt may have supplied the meteorite iron through Bronze Age trade links, the study said, because meteorites are scarce in Greece but more common in Egyptian deserts.
Use of nickel-bearing iron fell off around the Late Bronze Age collapse, a decline researchers link either to wider political and economic upheaval or to the fading of a prestige fashion.