French scientist Albert Jambon of the National Center for Scientific Research confirmed the hypothesis that a significant part of the iron products dating back to the Bronze Age are made of meteorite metal. The corresponding work was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, briefly reported on the study by EurekAlert !.
Jambon carried out a chemical analysis of objects using an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Among other things, he studied Egyptian beads dating back to the late period of the Herzian culture (they date from about 3200 BC), a bracelet, headrest and dagger of Pharaoh Tutankhamun (Egypt, about 1350 BC), a pendant found during excavations of the Umm el hill -Marrah (Syria, 2300 BC), an ax from the excavations of the city of Ugarit in the territory of modern Syria (1400 BC), as well as weapons and decorations of the Shang dynasty (China, 1400 BC).
According to the results of the analysis, all these items were made from meteoric iron in the Bronze Age - its end falls on 1300-1100 BC. Iron products during this period were very rare, an increase in their number is observed around 1200 BC. Jambon's research also showed that the use of meteorite iron was practiced by different peoples.
