A study by researchers Matthieu Gounelle and Eleni Mantzourani examined more than 90 iron objects from the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, recovered from 33 archaeological sites, according to a report describing their research. The study authors said about one-third of the artifacts examined were likely crafted using iron that fell from space.
Among the objects, the researchers identified at least 10 rings likely made from meteoritic iron, with three additional rings flagged for further examination, according to the study authors. Using portable X-ray fluorescence to assess the artifacts, the researchers found that most of the iron objects contained little or no nickel, consistent with iron smelted from terrestrial ores, while 13 objects showed elevated nickel levels suggesting they were made from meteorites, the study authors said. Meteorites contain far more nickel than smelted iron, according to the report describing the research.
Each of the artifacts suspected of meteoritic origin was either a whole or fragmentary signet or bezel ring, and these rings combined the meteoritic metal with gold, silver, or bronze, the study authors said. Most were found in chamber tombs alongside other luxury goods, which the researchers said adds to the likelihood that the rings served as symbols of status or authority. Gounelle and Eleni Mantzourani said elite members of society in ancient Greece and Crete wore iron jewelry made from extraterrestrial iron, and the study authors described such rings as among the most coveted jewelry worn in the Bronze Age Mediterranean world. The researchers said this fashion appears to have been popular among prominent figures including the Mycenaean and Minoan palatial elite, and was almost exclusive to Minoan and Mycenaean societies during the Late Bronze Age.
The study authors said ancient metalworkers recognized the difference between meteoritic and smelted iron and placed higher value on the meteoritic form. Gounelle and Mantzourani said the meteoritic material used in ancient Greece likely originated in Egypt, where meteorites are said by the study authors to be relatively numerous due to the region's deserts. A dagger made from meteoritic iron was also found among the burial goods of Pharaoh Tutankhamun.
According to the study authors, production of these meteoritic iron rings ended around the 12th century BCE, coinciding with the collapse of the Mycenaean palace system. The researchers said the reasons for this disappearance remain unclear, though they pointed to possible factors including disruptions to trade networks, political upheaval, or shifting fashions, and suggested the trend may simply have faded the way any fashion eventually does.