When archaeologists unearthed a Bronze Age treasure trove more than 60 years ago, they considered their discovery otherworldly.
Little do they know how true this is.
Because it turns out that part of the hoard, known as the Treasure of Verena, is made of alien metal.
However, while iron may not initially seem as exciting as **, it's actually more interesting.
Back in 1963, when experts discovered this astonishing discovery in a gravel pit in Alicante, Spain, they noticed some unusual details in some of the iron pieces.
Researchers at the time noted that the gilded saddle of the hilt and the open bracelet were made of "dark lead metal," which was "shiny in some areas and covered with an oxide that looked like iron, mostly cracked," the newspaper El País reported.
However, it is only now that scientists have confirmed that these two works "were the first objects found in the Iberian Peninsula made of materials other than Earth."
According to Live Science, a study published in the journal Prehistoric Trabajos revealed that the iron used in the two artifacts originated from a meteorite that fell to Earth about a million years ago.
In the new study, researchers tested hollow spherical sword pieces and C-shaped bracelets, inferring that they were made between 1400 and 1200 BC.
The connection between gold and iron is important because both elements have great symbolic and social value," Ignacio Montero-Ruiz, one of the senior authors of the study, told Live Science.
In this case, [these items] are. It could be a hidden treasure, it could belong to an entire community, not just one person. During this historical period, there was no kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula.
For the study, Montero-Ruiz and his team used mass spectrometry to measure traces of iron-nickel alloys in artifacts that were comparable to those found in meteorites.
While it's unclear who made the treasures and what exactly they came from, Montero-Ruiz and his colleagues confirmed that these were the first and oldest meteorite iron objects found in the area.
These two pieces of iron are of great value," Montero-Ruiz told El País. "For this reason, they are considered worthy of being part of this spectacular ensemble with a plethora of delicate ** items.
Who made them and from which these materials were obtained, the questions remain to be answered.