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Deep within ancient chamber tombs where elite members of society in ancient Greece and Crete were once laid to rest, new evidence has emerged that these high-status individuals wore some out-of-this-world iron jewelry.

Among the most coveted jewelry worn in the Bronze Age Mediterranean world were rings that were likely made from extraterrestrial iron, according to a new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Researchers Matthieu Gounelle and Eleni Mantzourani used chemical analysis to examine more than 90 iron objects from the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, uncovered from 33 archaeological sites, revealing that about one-third of the artifacts were likely crafted using iron that fell from space.

Although iron harvested from ancient meteorites accounted for at least 10 of the rings the researchers examined, another three “might deserve further examination,” the study’s authors say, in new observations that indicate these ancient extraterrestrial adornments “may have been popular power symbols among prominent individuals” that included the Mycenaean and Minoan palatial elite.

Yet despite their apparent significance, the otherworldly fashion trend involving these otherworldly rings seems to have mysteriously vanished by the 12th century BCE, for reasons that remain unclear to researchers.

Meteoritic Iron as a Status Symbol

Using portable X-ray fluorescence, or XRF, to assess these rare artifacts in various museums where they are kept, most of the objects were found to contain very little nickel, if any at all. This is consistent with iron produced using smelting processes from the periods in question, which relied on terrestrial ores.

However, 13 of the objects possessed elevated levels of nickel, which hinted at the likelihood that some of these ancient rings had been crafted with metal originating in meteorites, which contain far more nickel than smelted varieties of iron do.

Another intriguing discovery the researchers made was that each artifact suspected of being made from meteoritic iron was either a whole or fragmentary signet or bezel ring, combining the suspected meteoritic iron with gold, silver, or bronze. Most were also found in various chamber tombs alongside other luxury goods, adding to the likelihood that these unique artifacts may have been considered symbols of status or authority.

Where Did Ancient Greeks Obtain Extraterrestrial Iron?

However, another mystery involves the source of the meteoritic material, which remains uncertain since extraterrestrial iron was uncommon in ancient Greece. Because of this, the team suspects that one reason for this material’s role as a status symbol may have been not just its otherworldly nature, but also the fact that it was likely imported.

“Given the rarity of meteorites in Greece and the established trade networks during the Bronze Age, we propose that the source of the raw meteoritic material was Egypt,” the team writes, “where meteorites are numerous due to the abundance of deserts.”

Several famous examples of meteoritic iron have been recovered from Egypt, which include a dagger found among the items entombed with the Pharaoh Tutankhamun.

The abundance of rings made from this extraterrestrial metal contrasts with the more common iron objects that appear to have been made from smelted material. This suggests that ancient metalworkers recognized the distinction between the materials, and ascribed higher value to the far rarer meteoritic forms of iron.

An Otherworldly Fashion Trend Goes Missing

Curiously, the researchers also found that by around the 12th century BCE, this otherworldly fashion trend appears to have almost completely vanished, and for reasons that remain unclear.

Possible reasons for this may include interruptions to trade networks, political upheaval, or simply changes in trends from the period. However, one potential clue is that the ancient Greeks’ production of meteoritic iron rings seems to have ended coinciding with the collapse of the Mycenaean palace system.

“Such a development could be related to economic, social or political changes,” the team speculates, although they also acknowledge more mundane possibilities.

“It is also possible that the meteoritic finger ring fashion, almost exclusive to Minoan and Mycenaean Late Bronze Age, has ‘naturally’ faded away as does any fashion,” the researchers write.

The recent study, “Iron in Greece in the second millennium B.C.E.,” appeared in the Journal of Archaeological Science. 

Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.

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