Albert Jabon, an archaeologist and metallurgist from Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, used a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer to scan dozens of iron meteorites and some of the oldest iron products in the world in museums in Europe and the Middle East. The analyzer can determine the chemical composition of an object by non-destructive scanning of its surface. Jambon found that iron meteorites have a unique chemical feature, containing high content of nickel or cobalt. He can prove that XFR analyzer can easily distinguish "meteor" iron from molten iron, of which only nickel or cobalt is found.
Space bead
(gian Luca mini ACI/ Egyptian Archaeological Petrie Museum) Some archaeologists have suggested that early iron products like Gezezhu were made in the "premature" smelting event in the Bronze Age. At that time, people generally didn't know about iron smelting-this may have been discovered by accident, but Jambon found that Gezezhu and all other ancient iron products in the Bronze Age were made of iron in meteorites, and it was in BC120.
The iron dagger (Albert Credit: Albert Jambon) Jambon also tested this iron dagger, which came from Alaca Hóyük, Turkey, about 2500 BC and is now on display at the Anatolian Civilization Museum in Ankara. Using portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, Jambon can prove that it is an iron meteorite made of iron that fell from space to the earth.
The iron dagger Bernard Gagnion was found in Anatolia-this photo shows the "Sphinx Gate" of this ancient city. The era of iron daggers was around 2500 BC, and Halaka Hook was the center of Hati people in the early Bronze Age. After about 1800 BC, Halakahuk became a subject of the powerful Hittite Empire.
Beautiful suit (Cairo Egyptian Museum) Jambon can also test the ceremonial iron dagger found in the tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. This iron dagger is part of a pair of two ceremonial knives, and there is also a golden knife-at that time, iron was a more precious metal. A study last year showed that Tutankhamun's dagger was also made of meteorite iron, which Jambon confirmed with a portable XRF scanner.
Tutankhamun's space iron (public domain) This dagger is one of the three pieces of iron found in Tutankhamun's mausoleum by British Egyptian scientist howard carter in 1922 in the Valley of the Kings near modern Luxor. Others are iron bracelets and iron pillows. Jambon's research shows that these three projects come from iron from at least two different meteorites, which indicates that valuable iron meteorites were actively sought in ancient times.
Albert Jambon's ceremonial iron axe is located in Ugarit bronze archaeological site, which was once a city on the northern coast of Syria. It can be traced back to BC 1400. Zhan Mu discovered that it was also made of iron in meteorites. I tested all other bronze age iron products with XFR analyzer.
SIG K- Iron Pendant (Albert Jambon) Jambon can also test several other ancient iron products, including this iron pendant found in Humala, Syria, which dates back to around 2500 BC, and a set of Shang Dynasty iron axes of China Dynasty as early as around 1400 BC. His research found that all iron products in the Bronze Age were made of meteorites, not ironmaking.
Sig k-scanning (Albert Jambon) Jambon hopes that his research can lay a foundation for finding the earliest ironmaking on earth. Now, portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer can be used to scan iron objects from BC 1300 to BC 1000, and compare their metal compositions until the earliest non-meteor iron is found. "He said that the first iron will be identified from their chemical compositions, which is obviously different from meteor iron," Jambon said.