At Hierros Mora Antón, we work every day with iron and steel in their most modern and efficient forms. But what few people know is that the history of iron in humanity begins… in outer space. Yes, literally.
Before terrestrial iron… celestial iron
Long before humans learned to smelt and work iron extracted from the earth, they were already using this metal. How? Thanks to the metallic meteorites that hit the surface of the planet.
These meteorites are composed, for the most part, of a natural alloy of iron and nickel, extremely hard and resistant to corrosion. This ‘extraterrestrial’ iron was easily recognisable by its density, its metallic lustre and the fact that it did not rust as easily as untreated terrestrial iron.
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Tools and jewellery from the sky
The ancient Egyptians, Sumerians and other peoples of the Near East were already using meteoric iron more than 5,000 years ago. Iron beads have been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to 3200 BC, forged from meteorite material.
In fact, the pharaoh Tutankhamun himself was buried with a ceremonial dagger made of meteoric iron, modern spectrometric studies have shown. This piece, forged without yet knowing how to smelt iron, is one of the most striking pieces of evidence for the early use of this ‘iron from the sky’.
Why was it so special?
In times when the Iron Age had not yet begun, having an iron object was extraordinary and symbolically powerful. It is not surprising that many cultures considered iron to be a sacred material or a ‘gift from the gods’.
Moreover, working this iron did not require smelting, as it came to earth in solid form. With rudimentary hammering techniques, ancient craftsmen could shape blades, points or ornaments.
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From the sky to the furnace: metallurgy was born.
Centuries passed before mankind managed to reproduce this material on a massive scale by extracting it from ore and melting it at high temperatures. That was the beginning of the true Iron Age… and of all the industry that followed.
Today, at Hierros Mora Antón, we continue that millenary history, working with iron and steel to offer modern solutions to our customers. But it never hurts to remember that, in its origins, iron was literally a gift from the stars.