[meteorite-list] The Relic and Some Images

From: mark ford <markf_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Oct 29 08:58:49 2004
Message-ID: <6CE3EEEFE92F4B4085B0E086B2941B31244719_at_s-southern01.s-southern.com>

Adam,

Thanks for showing us the African meteorite object, very interesting!

My immediate thought was that the iron work is made by someone with
considerable skill in metal working, and for a tribe the 1700's in south
Africa that would be some feat. Since many of the techniques were
imported. So perhaps it is later than the date you where given, nice
object though!

You have to wonder at the thought process about using an Iron meteorite
to hold down another meteorite .... Doh! - Have you nickel tested the
iron pieces?

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Best
Mark





-----Original Message-----
From: Adam Hupe [mailto:raremeteorites_at_comcast.net]
Sent: 29 October 2004 01:14
To: meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com
Subject: [meteorite-list] The Relic and Some Images

Dear List Members,

I have a few questions that some of you may be able to answer. First
off, I
purchased this relic about seven years ago from a person who deals in
African artifacts. I was told the following:

It came from a South African tribe who fashioned it in the 1700s.

Natives witnessed a fireball, saw a "thunderstone" hit the ground and
built
this vessel for it.

They carved the main part of this relic out of wood and hand hammered
out
the iron accessories using possible pieces of an iron meteorite
(Gibeon?)

Since this stone was witnessed to have came from the sky they anchored
it
using two wrought iron or meteoritic iron straps so that it would not
get
away.

They depicted the fireball event by portraying the bolide using splayed
metal spikes run through nuts.

It was used for ceremonies by the tribal shaman who claimed it had the
most
powerful magic the tribe had ever experienced but the stone was not
given
time to recharge itself because it was called upon too many times to
perform
its magic. It has a wrought iron chain and places where feathers could
be
attached so I do believe it was used for ceremonies. Here are some
images:

Side view:
http://themeteoritesite.com/RelicSideView.jpg
Another side view:
http://themeteoritesite.com/RelicLayingSide.jpg
Top view showing trapped meteorite?:
http://themeteoritesite.com/RelicTopView.jpg
Close-up of suspected meteorite:
http://themeteoritesite.com/CloseupofMeteorite.jpg
Bottom view showing wrought iron work:
http://themeteoritesite.com/BottomView.jpg
Close-up of tribal artisan's conception of fireball:
http://themeteoritesite.com/Bolide.jpg
Another Close-up:
http://themeteoritesite.com/Bolide2.jpg

I do not know anything about African artifacts so if anybody knows
anything
about this piece or similar examples I would like to hear about it. It
does
look like an achondrite with the crust worn off in areas from being
touched
so many times. I am sure it is a genuine relic and would like to
authenticate the meteorite but do not want to damage it in anyway by
trying
to pry the stone out. I do not believe in superstition but for some
reason
I cannot draw myself to remove the stone and have it examined. This
could
represent a very old witnessed fall so any advice would be appreciated.

All the best.

------------------------------------
Adam Hupe
The Hupe Collection
Team LunarRock
IMCA 2185
raremeteorites_at_comcast.net




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Received on Fri 29 Oct 2004 09:00:10 AM PDT