Bronze Age Greek Elite May Have Worn Rings Made from Meteoric Iron

Analysis of ancient Greek jewelry suggests that a handful of signet rings were crafted using iron from meteorites, indicating a high-status use of extraterrestrial metal.

A team of archaeologists and scientists used X-ray fluorescence to test iron weapons and jewelry from 33 Bronze Age locations dated between 3,000 and 4,000 years ago. While most items showed no nickel, indicating ordinary ore iron, thirteen rings contained nickel, pointing to meteoric origins. The researchers estimate that ten of these rings were probably forged from meteorite iron, a material prized for its rarity and often layered with gold and silver.

The findings suggest that elite Mycenaean and Minoan groups valued meteoric iron as a status symbol, possibly acquiring it through trade with Egypt, where such metal is better preserved. The use of these “space bling” pieces seems to have vanished after the Late Bronze Age collapse, which ended the Mycenaean civilization and preceded the fall of the Minoan culture. The work was led by Eleni Mantzourani of the University of Athens and astrophysicist Matthieu Gounelle of the French Natural History Museum.