Researchers Confirm 2 Villena Artifacts Used Meteoritic Iron From 1400-1200 BCE
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · May 15
Researchers Confirm 2 Villena Artifacts Used Meteoritic Iron From 1400-1200 BCE
1 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · May 15
Two corroded Villena objects—a bracelet and a hollow hemisphere—were identified as meteoritic iron, placing them within the treasure’s 1400-1200 BCE Late Bronze Age chronology.
Mass spectrometry found nickel levels consistent with meteorite-derived iron, resolving a long-standing puzzle because Iberia’s terrestrial Iron Age did not begin until about 850 BCE.
The 66-object Treasure of Villena, discovered in 1963 near Alicante, is one of Europe’s most important Bronze Age gold hoards; the study says these may be Iberia’s first known meteoritic-iron pieces.
Heavy corrosion means the result is not yet definitive, and researchers said newer non-invasive tests could strengthen the finding and refine what it shows about Iberian metalworking more than 3,000 years ago.
If Bronze Age artisans forged iron from meteorites, what other advanced technologies have we overlooked?
With celestial iron found in both Spain and China, was there a global trade in meteorite artifacts?
"Metal from the Sky": Discovery of Meteoritic Iron Artifacts in the Villena Treasure Redefines Bronze Age Iberian Metallurgy
Overview
In 2023-2024, archaeologists made a groundbreaking discovery by confirming that two artifacts from the Villena Treasure—a small hollow sphere and a bracelet—were crafted from meteoritic iron. This is the first time such 'metal from beyond Earth' has been found in the Iberian Peninsula. The finding marks a pivotal moment in our understanding of prehistoric metallurgy, showing that Bronze Age societies had advanced knowledge of rare materials and valued them highly. The creators likely had access to a local fallen meteorite, highlighting both their resourcefulness and the unique cultural significance of these extraordinary objects.