GIBEON METEORITE - FIST- SIZED METEORITE. ...

Description

GIBEON METEORITE - FIST- SIZED METEORITE
Iron, fine octahedrite
Gibeon, Great Nama Land, Namibia
Thousands of years ago, a gigantic extraterrestrial mass crashed into the earth's atmosphere, exploding into thousands of fragments and falling across an elliptical 275-100km area on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. First discovered in modern times in 1836 by English Captain J.E. Alexander, the meteorite shower was named Gibeon after the nearest town, and is one of the most popular collectors' meteorites. It had been popular with the locals for many years however: just as with the Cape York meteorite in Greenland, fragments were collected by local tribesmen for use as spear and knife blades and other tools. This fine example is a complete and particularly aesthetic specimen, with an intriguing triangulated form, superb surface texture, and a series of striking ridges, their rubbed edges highlighted by the shimmering nickel-iron highlights of the meteorite's interior. A first-class collector's piece, it is presented on a metal display stand and measures 5¾ x 4 x 3¼ inches, weighing 4 lbs, 5½ oz.

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