Archaeologists were surprised when they discovered that a dagger found in King Tut's tomb was made of outer space material. The weapon may have been wielded by the most famous ancient Egyptian pharaoh, but two new studies are conflicting about its origins.
One of the studies on the dagger suggests it was made in Turkey, while the other suggests it was made on Earth.
Iron was a rare and precious commodity that often came from meteorites when King Tutankhamun was in power.
In one of the new studies, researchers say that the gold hilt on the dagger was made of lime plaster, a material that was used in Anatolia at the time. The lime plaster was not widely used in Egypt at that time.
Tushratta, the king of Mitanni in Anatolia, gave Amenhotep III at least one iron dagger, according to historical records found in Egypt.
The team found that the iron blade was made by low-temperature heat forging at less than 950 degrees C.
It is currently impossible to arrive at a reliable conclusion as to the origin of Tutank, according to a study published in the book Iron from Tutankhamun's Tomb.
The rock crystal of the blade's pommel is similar to artifacts used in the Aegean area, while the Egyptian shape suggests either foreign production or manufacture for the Egyptian market.
Live Science contacted scholars not associated with either study to get their reactions. Albert Jambon, a researcher at Sorbonne University in France who has conducted extensive research on artifacts made of meteor iron, was unconvinced by the findings that placed the manufacture of the dagger in Anatolia.
The claim that the lime plaster was used as a glue was disputed by Jambon. The cleaning solution used for the Tutankhamun artifacts in the 1920s was limestone powder, which was detected by the chemical tests used in the study. The hilt and blade are separate parts and could have been made in different places.
If the findings of the team that the dagger was manufactured in Anatolia are correct, it would be important confirmation that some of the luxurious objects found in the area. More research is needed to confirm those findings.
It was originally published on Live Science.
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