In other words, yes: some Bronze Age Iberian was rocking space jewelry and wielding a space weapon.
The hoard is now known as theTreasure of Villena.
But heres the rub: the treasure was hidden 3,000 years ago, before widespread knowledge of iron metallurgy.
The gold, silver, and iron contents of the Treasure of Villena.Photo:Wikimedia Commons
The team also looked for elements that turn up in meteoritic iron, like cobalt, using mass spectrometry.
The team found there was a high probability the hoards iron was meteoritic in origin.
Before the rise of iron metallurgy, humans used iron from fallen meteorites to make precious items.
Its possible the famous blade was a family heirloom.
But pharaonic Egypt kept fastidious records, at least compared to the group that forged the Treasure of Villena.
More analysis may clarify the remarkable troves origins, and perhaps even the wearer of the ancient luxury goods.
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