An investigation led by Dr. Albert Jambon has brought to light an unusual finding: some of the Iron age tools and ornaments were manufacturedat least in part, with iron from meteorites. He studywhich is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reportspromises to rethink some of the assumptions on the origin of the foundry of metal in central Europe.
Research has focused on two emblematic cemeteries of southern PolandCzestochowa-raków and czestochowa-mirów, belonging to the Lusacian culture and dated between 750 and 600 a. C. These deposits, known for their archaeological wealth, offer a unique context to explore the metallurgical techniques of the time.
The elements found
Among the 26 objects analyzedranging from bracelets and anklets to knives, spearheads and necklaces, researchers have identified four pieces that contain iron of meteoric origin. Three of these pieces, in the form of bracelets, were found in Częstochowa-raków, while a brooch with similar characteristics was recovered in Czestochowa-Mirów.
To unravel the composition of these objects, the research team applied state -of -the -art methods, such as portable x -ray fluorescence (P-XRF), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) combined with dispersive energy spectroscopy (Eds) and the microtomography of X-ray. These techniques have allowed not only to determine the elementary distribution of metals, but also to study the internal structure of each sample.
An extremely rare variety
One of the most revealing data has been the high nickel content detected in the material, which suggests that the iron came from a Ataxite meteoritean extremely rare variety. According to Dr. Jambon, the hypothesis is that, after a witness witnessed, the smallest fragments of the meteorite would have been selected for their manageability, unlike the huge masses that were impossible to work with the tools of the time.
This discovery is part of a long tradition of research in the area. Previous studies, such as those carried out by Zimny in 1965 and Piashowski in 1982, had already pointed out the presence of meteoric iron in czestochowa-raków. Even in 1830 there was a large piece of meteorite iron in front of the church of Caille in France, which turned out to be too massive to be used.
The background of Damascus steel
According to the published information, experts point out that the fact that these elements have been found in funeral contexts (in tombs of men, women and children without accompanying themselves from luxury objects) suggests that, in contrast to the high value of iron During the Bronze Age, at this stage the metal was already considered a raw material for everyday use. So, Meteoric iron ceased to be a symbol of power to become a more accessible resource.
In addition, electronic microscopy and tomography analysis have allowed to identify tough band patterns in the metal, which could indicate that the meteoric iron mixture with earthly iron slag was performed intentionally to obtain decorative effects. This finding could be the antecedent older of a technique that, centuries later, would lead to the manufacture of the popular Damascus steel.
#discover #metal #meteoric #origin #iron #tools #Poland
