Spanish archaeologists have found jewelry made of iron from crashed meteorites among a very ancient gold hoard. The treasure is more than 3,000 years old. At that time, iron had not yet been found in Spanish territory.
The “Velena Treasure” was found in 1963 near the Spanish city of Alicante. The hoard consists of 66 pieces and, according to archaeologists, is an example of how skilled blacksmiths were at that time. The Late Bronze Age extends roughly from 1500 to 800 BC.
Additional research showed that two objects were decorated with iron. It involves a bracelet, a half-sphere, and perhaps part of a sword or staff.
This discovery is considered special because iron had not yet been found in the soil of Spain 3,000 years ago. The Iron Age did not begin until around 850 BC, while these objects have been determined to be even older.
The iron came from meteorites coming from space that collided with the area. to conclude Scientists. Iron found in meteorites has a much higher iron content than iron found in soil on Earth. Archaeologists have determined that the pieces actually date back to the period 1400 to 1200 BC.
The ancient Egyptians also used iron extracted from meteorites
“Strange” objects from the Bronze Age are not unique in the world. A knife containing iron with a high nickel content was found in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. Archaeologists also concluded that the knife was made of iron from shattered meteorites.
The ancient Egyptians had a significant technological advantage over their contemporaries due to their availability of iron. Partly because of this, they were able to build and expand their empire.
These types of iron objects have not been found before in Europe. Because objects containing iron are susceptible to corrosion, they are difficult to date. Therefore, the conclusions of the Spanish researchers were confirmed using special research techniques.
