Strange metal not from our planet spotted

 Ancient treasure stash unveils cosmic secrets of strange metal from beyond our planet 

In a groundbreaking archaeological find, researchers have uncovered evidence that an ancient treasure trove in Spain contains artifacts made from meteoritic iron, a metal not naturally found on Earth. This discovery sheds new light on the technological and cultural achievements of ancient civilizations during the Bronze Age. The Treasure of Villena, discovered in 1963, is a collection of 66 objects primarily made of gold, silver and amber, but it also includes two items that have puzzled historians for decades due to their unusual composition. Amidst a cache of glittering golden treasures from the Iberian Bronze Age, a pair of corroded objects might be the most precious of all. A dull bracelet and a rusted hollow hemisphere decorated with gold are forged, researchers have found, not out of metal from beneath the ground, but with iron from meteorites which fell from the sky. The discovery, led by now-retired head of conservation at the National Archeological Museum in Spain, Salvador Rovira-Llorens, was revealed in a paper and suggests that metalworking technology and techniques in Iberia more than 3,000 years ago were far more advanced than we thought.

The Treasure of Villena was unearthed in a gravel pit in Alicante, Spain, and is considered one of the most significant Bronze Age discoveries in Europe. The hoard includes a variety of artifacts such as bowls, bracelets and decorative objects, showcasing the advanced metalworking skills of the ancient Iberians. However, two of the artifacts, a dull bracelet and a rusted hollow hemisphere decorated with gold, stand out for their composition. These items are made from a type of iron which is not native to Earth but rather originates from meteorites. But iron ore from Earth's crust is not the only source of malleable iron. There are a number of pre-Iron Age iron artifacts around the world that were forged from the stuff of meteorites. Perhaps most famous is the meteoritic iron dagger of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, but there are other Bronze Age weapons made of the material, and they were very highly prized. The Treasure of Villena, as the cache of 66 mostly gold objects is known, was discovered more than 60 years ago in 1963 in what is now Alicante in Spain, and has since come to be regarded as one of the most important examples of Bronze Age gold smithing in the Iberian Peninsula, and the whole of Europe.

Meteoritic iron was likely valued for its rarity and extraterrestrial origin, possibly seen as a symbol of power or divine favor. Working with meteoritic iron required the development of new techniques, as it differs significantly from terrestrial metals. There is a way to tell the difference: iron from meteorites has a much higher nickel content than iron dug out of Earth's ground. So researchers obtained permission from the Municipal Archaeological Museum of Villena, which houses the collection, to carefully test the two artifacts, and determine just how much nickel they contained. They carefully took samples of both artifacts and subjected the material to mass spectrometry to determine their composition. In spite of the high degree of corrosion, which alters the elemental makeup of the artifact, the results strongly suggest that both the hemisphere and the bracelet were made from meteoritic iron. This neatly solves the dilemma of how the two artifacts align with the rest of the collection: They were made around the same period, dating back to around 1400 to 1200 BCE with following key features:-

Composition: The iron used in these artifacts has a high nickel content, characteristic of meteoritic iron.

Age: The artifacts date back to between 1400 and 1200 BCE, during the Late Bronze Age.

Significance: These are among the oldest known examples of meteoritic iron used in artifacts in the Iberian Peninsula.

Determining the age of the collection has been somewhat difficult, thanks to two objects: a small, hollow hemisphere, thought to be part of a scepter or sword hilt; and a single, torc-like bracelet. Both have what archaeologists have described as a "ferrous" appearance, that is, they seem to be made of iron. The iron-and-gold hemisphere, which has a maximum diameter of 4.5 cm's (1.77 inches). (Villena Museum). In the Iberian Peninsula, the Iron Age, where smelted terrestrial iron began to replace bronze, didn't start until around 850 BCE. While the discovery of meteoritic iron in ancient artifacts is fascinating, it also raises questions about how these materials were obtained and processed. Some researchers speculate that ancient cultures might have been aware of meteorite falls and exploited these events to acquire rare metals. Unlike terrestrial iron, which requires smelting to be usable, meteoritic iron can be shaped and crafted without this process. However, it is brittle and prone to breaking, making the craftsmanship involved in creating these ancient artifacts even more impressive.

The problem is that the gold materials have been dated to between 1500 and 1200 BCE. So working out where the ferrous-looking artifacts sit in the context of the Treasure of Villena has been something of a puzzle. The iron bracelet, which measures 8.5 cm's (3.35 inches) across. "The available data suggest that the cap and bracelet from the Treasure of Villena would currently be the first two pieces attributable to meteoritic iron in the Iberian Peninsula," the researchers explain, "which is compatible with a Late Bronze chronology, prior to the beginning of the widespread production of terrestrial iron." Potential origins of the meteoritic iron could be:-

Meteorite Falls: It is possible that ancient cultures collected iron from meteorites that fell to Earth, using this material for symbolic or practical purposes.

Trade Networks: Another theory suggests that meteoritic iron was traded across regions, highlighting the complexity of ancient trade networks.

The use of meteoritic iron in ancient artifacts highlights the advanced technological capabilities and innovative spirit of Bronze Age cultures. It also underscores the importance of these materials in symbolic and social contexts, as they were often associated with divine or otherworldly origins. Now, because the objects are so badly corroded, the results aren't conclusive. But there are more recent, non-invasive techniques which could be applied to the objects to obtain a more detailed set of data that would help cement the findings, the team suggests. The discovery of meteoritic iron in the Treasure of Villena not only expands our understanding of ancient metallurgy but also opens new avenues for exploring the cultural and symbolic significance of extraterrestrial materials in human history. As research continues to unravel the mysteries of these artifacts, we are reminded of the ingenuity and curiosity of our ancient ancestors. Other notable examples of meteoritic iron in ancient artifacts include the dagger from King Tutankhamun's tomb, which was also identified as being made from meteoritic iron. These finds underscore the global nature of ancient technological innovations and the fascination with materials from beyond Earth. Further analysis of the Treasure of Villena and similar artifacts will provide deeper insights into the technological and cultural achievements of ancient civilizations. This research has the potential to reshape our understanding of human history and our place within the cosmos of universe.