Inside a treasure chest full of gold jewelry and other objects of Iberian Bronze Age, two objects stand out for their specificity. A dull bracelet and a rusty coilη hemispherical construction decorated with gold. It seems that they are not made of the usual metals of the earth, but of iron from meteorites that fell from the sky.
This discovery was led by Salvador Rovira-Liorence, former head of conservation at the National Archaeological Museum of Spain. It suggests that metallurgical know-how in Iberia more than 3,000 years ago was much more advanced than previously thought.
The Treasure of Vienna, as it is known, contains 66 objects. Mostly gold, it was discovered in 1963 in the Alicante region of Spain. It is considered one of the most important examples of Bronze Age goldsmithing in the Iberian Peninsula and throughout Europe.
The chronology of the objects was not easy to determine. Mainly because of the two objects with «iron» faces - the hollow hemisphere, which was probably part of a sceptre or sword hilt. But also a bracelet resembling a ring.
In the Iberian Peninsula, the Iron Age began around 850 BC, while the gold objects in the hoard have been dated between 1500 and 1200 BC. The presence of iron in such old objects was confusing.
However, iron does not come exclusively from the earth's surface. There are several prehistoric iron artifacts in the world that were made from meteorite metals. Such as the famous iron dagger of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Meteorite iron contains significantly higher levels of nickel than earthly iron. which allows scientists to distinguish it.
With the permission of the Municipal Archaeological Museum of Vienna, the researchers carefully took samples and examined the objects with mass spectrometry to determine their exact composition. Despite severe corrosion altering the chemical composition, the results show that both the hemisphere and the bracelet were made of meteoritic iron.
In this way the mystery of their chronology is solved. The objects were made around the same period as the rest of the jewellery in the treasure, around 1400-1200 BC. They are probably the earliest known examples of meteoritic iron in the Iberian Peninsula. Before the widespread use of earth iron in the Iron Age.
Due to corrosion, the results are not considered definitive. But there are more modern, non-invasive techniques that could be applied to confirm more accurately the composition and origin of the objects. Despite the unanswered questions, the discovery offers a unique glimpse into the expertise and appreciation of precious metals by humans 3,000 years ago, revealing that ancient artisans had access to celestial materials long before the age of iron on Earth.
The researchers used mass spectrometry on samples from the Municipal Archaeological Museum of Vienna, revealing high levels of nickel. A characteristic of meteorites, unlike Earth's iron. Despite erosion, the findings confirm a cosmic origin, making them the first known meteoritic iron artifacts in the Iberian Peninsula.
These objects, prior to the local Iron Age (c. 850 BC), indicate advanced metalworking and commercial/cultural exchanges, with iron possibly being considered valuable or symbolic. The study was published in the journal Trabajos de Prehistoria.
José María Soler García (1905-1996) was a prominent figure in Spanish science, an archaeologist, historian, researcher and folklorist. He was born and died in Villena, Alicante province, leaving behind a great cultural heritage. In 1957 he founded the Villena Archaeological Museum. It was later renamed the José María Soler Museum in his honour, following his important discoveries. In 1963 he accidentally discovered the famous Treasure of Villena, containing 66 gold objects. Earlier he had unearthed the Cabezo Redondo Treasure.
These discoveries established Soler as the leading scholar of the prehistoric zone of Villena and one of the most important archaeologists of 20th century Spain.
Life and distinctions
After the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), Soler began independent archaeological research, locating more than twenty prehistoric settlements without institutional support. His perseverance and dedication were instrumental in mapping the prehistory of the region.
For his work he was awarded a Doctorate Honoris Causa by the University of Alicante in 1985, and the Gold Medal of the Province of Alicante in 1991, in recognition of his contribution to the promotion of Spanish cultural heritage.
Source: www.tanea.gr
