[meteorite-list] Turkish Scientists in Search for 14thCenturyMeteorite

From: Norbert Classen <trifid_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 00:25:25 +0100
Message-ID: <002601c722fb$d0ff81d0$2002a8c0_at_lunatic>

Hi Sterling, Bernd, and All,

Sterling: thanks for your thoughts on this - a nice read, and some great
information. I also compiled some information on meteorites in cult and
religion on my site, and the respective pages can be found here:

http://www.meteoris.de/basics/cult1.html
http://www.meteoris.de/basics/cult2.html
http://www.meteoris.de/basics/cult3.html
http://www.meteoris.de/basics/cult4.html

These pages also include some descent photos of the Hadschar al Aswad (the
Black Stone of Mecca), and the Black Stone of Paphos. On the latter one you
wrote:

"The home temple of Aphrodite was at Paphos on Cyprus and very old. The
tapering black stone which was the object of verneration at this Temple
still survives, even if it now placed inside the site musuem. It doesn't
seem to be a meteorite, which is odd because it was said to be, in ancient
times. Perhaps it never was a meteorite, or the present stone may be a
replacement for a lost original."

Yeap, the Black Stone at the museum in Kouklia (Palaeo-Paphos) is certainly
no meteorite, but a huge andesitic bolder. I visited Paphos, and the Black
Stone earlier this year just to find out. You can view my detailed report in
one of the back issues of IMCA Insights, published in cooperation with
Meteorite-Times:

http://imca.repetti.net/articles/IMCA-Insights4.htm

The stunning thing is that the Black Stone of Paphos is a pretty good
meteorwrong - have a look at the photo. It's even more convincing in real,
and only a close inspection will tell you that it's no rock from space. That
made me ask in my report:

"Why the heck did the people in the Late Bronze Age opt for such striking
meteor-wrong? Maybe it was deliberately chosen because it resembled a real
bethyl, or maybe the ancient Achaeans even believed it to be a real
meteorite? If so, they would have to be familiar with at least some actual
meteorites - something that leaves much room for speculation, and future
investigations."

I'm actually convinced that they knew meteorites, and their typical look.
And I'm sure that other (real) samples are sitting in some museums, just
waiting to be re-discovered. The day of archaeo-meteoritics will come, I'm
sure about that ;-)

So, where the heck did the Palladion of Troy end up? Possibly in the
Vatikan, or in some Italian museum? I'd love to check it more closely.

All the best,
Norbert
Received on Mon 18 Dec 2006 06:25:25 PM PST