Weapon from space - a unique artifact discovered in China
Archaeologists have discovered an ancient ax approximately 3,000 years old made of meteorite iron in China's Sichuan province. Analysis showed that about 90% of its mass is iron with a uniform nickel distribution of 20%, indicating an extraterrestrial origin and slow cooling in space.
Archaeologists have discovered an unusual metal artifact about 3,000 years old in China's Sichuan province. The find was made during long-term excavations of the Sanxingdui complex, where thousands of ritual objects—bronze masks, ivory and jade items—had previously been found. The discovered object is a small ax about 20 centimeters long, which stood vertically in the southern wall of one of the pits for approximately three millennia. Analysis showed that the weapon is made of meteorite iron: about 90% of its mass is iron, with the presence of nickel and other trace elements. Particular attention was drawn to the uniform distribution of nickel at about 20%—for comparison, in other Chinese finds of meteorite iron this figure is about 11%. The metal's structure indicates very slow cooling, characteristic of a space environment. Researchers led by Haichao Li from Sichuan University called the find the oldest known meteorite iron artifact from the Bronze Age in southwestern China. The find is notable because during the heyday of the Sanxingdui culture (1600–1050 BCE), bronze remained the main material, and iron smelting began in China only around the 8th century BCE.