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Tutankhamun's meteoric iron dagger blade


Tutankhamun's iron dagger blade closely correlates with meteoric composition, including homogeneity. Originally discovered in 1925 in Tutankhamun's tomb (14th C. BCE) by Howard Carter, an archaeologist, the iron dagger was believed to be of meteorite origin.

Since the 1960s the high nickel content in the blade has been accepted as indicative of meteoric origin. A more recent study published in June 2016 derived from x-ray fluorescence spectrometer analysis show that the blade’s composition is mostly iron (Fe) and 11% nickel (Ni) and 0.6% cobalt (Co). This means its composition is placed within the median of a group of 76 previously discovered iron meteorites. "The nickel content in the bulk metal of most iron meteorites ranges from 5% to 35%, whereas it never exceeds 4% in historical iron artifacts from terrestrial ores produced before the 19th Century." Also, the nickel to cobalt ratio of this blade is comparable to iron meteorite materials.

At the time of King Tutankhamun’s mummification 3,300 years ago (the Bronze Age), iron smelting and manufacture was rare. Iron objects were used for only artistic, ornamental, ritual, gift giving and ceremonial purposes as well as for pigmentation. Hence, iron during this age was apprised as more valuable or precious than gold. Iron artifacts were given as royal gifts during the period directly preceding Tutankhamun's rule, i.e., during the reign of Amenhotep III.

Determining iron's occurrence throughout the very ancient past - such as obtaining, smelting, and introducing into various civilizations - has been an ongoing topic of scholarly study and discussion. From the late Neolithic era to the Bronze Age, ancient Eastern Mediterranean cultures used iron infrequently. The existence of smelted iron objects during this period has been shown to be uncommon or rare, and believed to have been produced from the ore found in meteors. However, iron working methods and iron's uses; and its dispersion and circulation within prehistoric societies are contentious issues within the scientific community due to gaps in knowledge and data. These debates have included the presumed meteoritic source as the material from which the iron dagger blade is made.


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