'Hidden in Spain': 3,000-year-old clues point to ancient secrets more valuable than gold
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Ancient Mystery
Among Iberian treasures, two corroded objects—a bracelet and a hemisphere—might hold secrets more precious than gold itself, hinting at an ancient mystery that transcends the Earth.
Credit: Villena Museum
Celestial Iron
Researchers have found that these artifacts, unlike others in the hoard, weren’t mined but made of meteoritic iron, metal that fell from the skies thousands of years ago.
A Surprising Discovery
Led by Salvador Rovira-Llorens, a retired head of conservation at Spain’s National Archaeological Museum, the study suggests advanced metalworking in Iberia over 3,000 years ago.
Treasure of Villena
This cache, known as the Treasure of Villena, contains 66 mostly golden objects and was unearthed in 1963 in Alicante, Spain. It's among the most significant Bronze Age discoveries in Europe.
Ancient Puzzle
Dating the collection has been challenging due to two "ferrous" objects—a hemisphere and a bracelet—that appear to be iron but date centuries before the Iron Age.
Beyond the Earth
In the Bronze Age, iron could come from meteors. Famous examples include Tutankhamun’s dagger. Such meteoritic iron artifacts were rare and highly valued.
Nickel Test
To confirm, researchers tested the nickel content—higher in meteoritic iron—of the Villena bracelet and hemisphere. Mass spectrometry results suggested both were crafted from celestial metal.
Solving the Mystery
The findings align these artifacts with the rest of the hoard, dating them to 1400–1200 BCE, marking them as the first confirmed meteoritic iron pieces in Iberian history.
Future Proof
Due to corrosion, the results aren't conclusive. However, newer non-invasive tests could yield clearer data, further cementing the timeline of these extraordinary finds.