Iron from the sky: the potential influence of meteorites on ancient Egyptian culture.

Presenter: Diane Johnson

Published: July 2013

Age: 14-19 and upwards

Views: 1085 views

Tags: meteorites

Type: Lectures

Source/institution: Royal Society

Ancient Egyptian belief was frequently derived from observations of the natural world, where the gods were considered to control the forces of nature; and as a society, ancient Egyptians placed great value upon order and balance. So how would the appearance of a fireball bringing meteorite iron to the ground be interpreted, and what was the perception of this iron as such a rare material? This lecture will explore the theory that meteorites may have influenced many aspects of ancient Egyptian culture with evidence in the form of artefacts, ancient texts and architecture.