What! This ancient king's dagger was made from a space metal!
History has been a witness of innumerable rules but only a few have always interested archaeologists and researchers for the mysteries associated with their stories. One among these is King Tutankhamun, who is famous as the "boy king," Tut, who ruled Egypt for just a decade before dying mysteriously at the age of 19, possibly from complications caused by a broken leg.
Since the discovery of his lavish tomb in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter, fascination with Tut has only grown, and given rise to innumerable stories of curses, golden treasures, and a mysterious life cut short. Whether it's his iconic golden mask or the legends surrounding the 'curse of the pharaohs,' King Tut has become a symbol of ancient Egypt's allure and mystique.
Now, nearly a century after his tomb was dug out, another interesting detail about Tutankhamun has surfaced.
Recent research reveals that one of the ornate daggers found in his sarcophagus was crafted from a metal that is not from the Earth but is cosmic in nature.
This artifact is made of a space metal!
Among the many treasures buried with King Tutankhamun, this artifact stands out not just for its beauty, but for its extraterrestrial origin.
Researchers
from Egypt and Italy have confirmed that a dagger found in the boy pharaoh's tomb was made from meteoric iron, giving it the nickname 'space dagger.'
This discovery adds a cosmic twist to the already legendary story of King Tut.
The dagger was originally described by archaeologist Howard Carter in 1925 as "a highly ornamented gold dagger with crystal knob," according to Rossella Lorenzi for Discovery News. However, further analysis revealed that while its handle and sheath are golden and intricately designed, the blade itself is made of iron and is quite different from the kind that comes from Earth.
Researchers analysed the piece
Using a non-invasive technique called X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, the team was able to analyse the metal's composition without damaging the artifact. The results showed the blade contains about 11 percent nickel, significantly more than the typical iron found on Earth, which averages around 4 percent nickel. This high nickel content strongly suggests the iron came from a meteorite.
"Meteoric iron is clearly indicated by the presence of a high percentages of nickel," said Daniela Comelli from Milan Polytechnic in Italy, the lead researcher on the project, in her interview with Discovery News.
"The nickel and cobalt ratio in the dagger blade is consistent with that of iron meteorites that have preserved the primitive chondritic ratio during planetary differentiation in the early solar system.
"
Did researchers find the meteorite?
The research team even tried to track down the specific meteorite that may have supplied the iron. They studied 20 meteorites found within a 2,000-kilometer radius of the Red Sea and identified one, named Kharga, that had a similar nickel and cobalt composition to the blade.
Kharga was discovered in 2000 near a seaport west of Alexandria, making it a strong candidate.
Another very interesting fact about King Tut's artifacts is that this isn't the only otherworldly item buried with King Tut. His famous scarab necklace contains Libyan desert glass, a substance formed when a meteor strikes sand. The Great Sand Sea, where such glass is found, lies around 800 kilometers from where the ancient Egyptians lived.
Why would the Egyptians go to such lengths to use meteor materials? They likely saw these 'gifts from the heavens' as divine. The dagger, in particular, suggests they valued and possibly understood ironworking before the official start of the Iron Age by at least 100 years.
Tutankhamun's tomb may still hold more secrets. Some archaeologists believe the hidden tomb of Queen Nefertiti could lie just beyond its walls. Modern scanning technologies, like the one used to analyze the dagger, may help reveal more about this theory in the near future.
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