Researchers extracted corrosion samples from a hollow hemisphere and an open bracelet belonging to the Villena Treasure, testing them via mass spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence in Mannheim, Germany. The hollow hemisphere contained 5.5 percent nickel, while deeper tests on the bracelet also revealed the elevated nickel levels typical of meteoritic metal. Shared trace element ratios across both artifacts strongly suggest they were forged from the very same meteorite source. These results help align the hoard with the nearby Cabezo Redondo settlement, which was abandoned prior to 1200 cal BC.
Key points
Matching nickel-to-iron, nickel-to-cobalt, and rare trace element ratios indicate both Sp…: Matching nickel-to-iron, nickel-to-cobalt, and rare trace element ratios indicate both Spanish artifacts likely originated from the same meteorite.
The confirmation of meteoritic metal explains how Bronze Age artisans fashioned iron obje…: The confirmation of meteoritic metal explains how Bronze Age artisans fashioned iron objects long before terrestrial smelting became widespread.
Researchers plan to conduct further non-invasive tests such as gamma spectrometry and com…: Researchers plan to conduct further non-invasive tests such as gamma spectrometry and computed tomography to reach absolute certainty.
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Two iron objects found in a Spanish treasure discovered in 1963 may have been made from metal that arrived on Earth from space. The objects, a hollow hemisphere and an open bracelet, form part of the Villena Treasure, a major collection of Bronze Age goldwork found in Alicante, in southeastern Spain. Their iron-like appearance had raised questions about the treasure’s age, as terrestrial iron production began later than the period in which the collection may have been buried.
The findings were published in a research paper in Trabajos de Prehistoria, titled ‘Meteoritic iron in the Villena Treasure?’, which examined the chemical composition of both objects. The results are compatible with a Late Bronze Age date, before widespread terrestrial iron production began.
What makes two iron objects in Spain's Bronze Age treasure unusual
The Villena Treasure was discovered by José M.ª Soler at Rambla del Panadero in late 1963 and is held at the Villena Museum in Alicante. It is one of the most important collections of Bronze Age goldwork in the Iberian Peninsula. The two objects are a hollow hemisphere…
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