Meteoritic iron in the Villena Treasure?

Abstract

The presence in the Villena Treasure (Alicante) of two iron artefacts, a hollow hemisphere and a penannular bracelet or ring, have generated controversy around the chronology of this unique find since its discovery in 1963. The new analytical data here presented point to the use of meteoritic iron for the manufacture of both objects. Such a result places the chronology of the Treasure in the Late Bronze Age, before the production of terrestrial iron started.