Too cool!

M ELEY · 3rd June 2016, 04:52 AM

I know we've discussed the use of meteoric iron over on the Ethnographic side before in relation to Malay keris. Still, this is pretty incredible! I just got back from the Raleigh, NC museum, where a large meteor in the collection was used as a blacksmith's anvil until it was appropriated in the 1930's. Anyway, thought it was a neat discovery!

http://abcnews.go.com/International/...ry?id=39560270

fernando · 3rd June 2016, 11:52 AM

Amazing; King Tut remnants will never stop surprising us.
Any chance we could ever pick one of those ?

M ELEY · 5th June 2016, 03:04 AM

Makes me want to add a meteorite to the collection just for the conversation value!

Jim McDougall · 5th June 2016, 04:51 AM

Mark, the scope of your interests and discoveries never ceases to amaze me!!
It does seem to me that this idea of the Tut dagger being made of meteoric iron has been around a long time. What is really neat about these new scientific findings is that they have been able to narrow down forensically the metal to a site in Libya and the meteorite it came from!

Meteoric iron is of course well known in Java with the keris, and there are some swords from ancient China known to be from meteoric metals. The concept of metal from the heavens is even known in American folklore, as one of the early writers on the fabled Bowie knife claimed in his book "The Iron Mistress" that Bowies knife was fashioned from meteorite iron.

We once in our travels went to the huge crater in Winslow Arizona where the most remarkable physical evidence remains. In the museum there they have examples of meteoric iron that you can actually hold.....and this stuff is heavy!!!

M ELEY · 7th June 2016, 10:52 PM

Hi Jim!
I envy you for getting to go to Winslow. That crater is awe-inspiring! I read that the meteor was estimated to have been 150 feet long before entry to our atmosphere! Some iron scrap company spent 20 years trying to find it i the crater, but only fragments remained. Can you imagine being near ground zero when this thing hit?!

I see the ethno forum is discussing it as well. That laminating fact does create some controversy, doesn't it! Erick Von Daniken would undoubtedly have an opinion or two on that one!

3rd June 2016, 04:52 AM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,072	Too cool! I know we've discussed the use of meteoric iron over on the Ethnographic side before in relation to Malay keris. Still, this is pretty incredible! I just got back from the Raleigh, NC museum, where a large meteor in the collection was used as a blacksmith's anvil until it was appropriated in the 1930's. Anyway, thought it was a neat discovery! http://abcnews.go.com/International/...ry?id=39560270

3rd June 2016, 11:52 AM	#2
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,642	Amazing; King Tut remnants will never stop surprising us. Any chance we could ever pick one of those ?

5th June 2016, 03:04 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,072	Makes me want to add a meteorite to the collection just for the conversation value!

5th June 2016, 04:51 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,767	Mark, the scope of your interests and discoveries never ceases to amaze me!! It does seem to me that this idea of the Tut dagger being made of meteoric iron has been around a long time. What is really neat about these new scientific findings is that they have been able to narrow down forensically the metal to a site in Libya and the meteorite it came from! Meteoric iron is of course well known in Java with the keris, and there are some swords from ancient China known to be from meteoric metals. The concept of metal from the heavens is even known in American folklore, as one of the early writers on the fabled Bowie knife claimed in his book "The Iron Mistress" that Bowies knife was fashioned from meteorite iron. We once in our travels went to the huge crater in Winslow Arizona where the most remarkable physical evidence remains. In the museum there they have examples of meteoric iron that you can actually hold.....and this stuff is heavy!!!

7th June 2016, 10:52 PM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,072	Hi Jim! I envy you for getting to go to Winslow. That crater is awe-inspiring! I read that the meteor was estimated to have been 150 feet long before entry to our atmosphere! Some iron scrap company spent 20 years trying to find it i the crater, but only fragments remained. Can you imagine being near ground zero when this thing hit?! I see the ethno forum is discussing it as well. That laminating fact does create some controversy, doesn't it! Erick Von Daniken would undoubtedly have an opinion or two on that one!