This shocking find suggests that early Iron Age civilizations were working with meteoritic iron, possibly after witnessing a fireball crash to Earth.
A new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports has revealed that 26 iron artifacts found at burial sites in Częstochowa-Raków and Częstochowa-Mirów contain traces of nickel-rich iron, a signature of metal originating from meteorites.
Dr. Albert Jambon, the study’s lead researcher, explained that iron was once more valuable than gold. “During the Bronze Age, the price of iron was about ten times that of gold; in the early Iron Age, it sank drastically to less than copper,” he said.
Surprisingly, the placement of these otherworldly artifacts in graves appeared random, indicating that meteoritic iron was not an exclusive luxury for elites but accessible to different members of society.
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To confirm the extraterrestrial origins of the artifacts, researchers used advanced techniques such as portable X-ray fluorescence (p-XRF), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-ray microtomography. The results left no doubt—the iron contained high levels of nickel, a key marker of meteoritic material.
Among the unearthed items were an ankle ring, three bracelets, and a pin. Though seemingly modest in quantity, this collection is one of the most significant deposits of meteoritic iron found outside of Egypt.
Dr. Jambon believes the people who crafted these objects may have witnessed a meteorite fall. Iron meteorites can be massive, but large pieces are difficult to work with. Only smaller fragments under a kilogram would have been usable with Iron Age tools.
The study raises a fascinating question—did ancient metalworkers see a blazing fireball streak across the sky and rush to collect the fallen fragments? If so, it would mean that cosmic events directly influenced early metallurgy.
“Recovering workable pieces is more likely after a witnessed fall,” Jambon concluded.
A historical example from 1830 highlights how attitudes toward meteoritic iron changed over time. A massive 600-kilogram iron meteorite was found outside a church in Caille, France, but attempts to forge tools from it failed, and the meteorite remained untouched.
This discovery marks only the second time both meteoritic and terrestrial iron have been found together at an archaeological site in Poland. Some of the non-meteoritic iron may have originated from the Balkans or the Alps, adding even more mystery to the story.
