OAH- Assignment 2 : Devanshi Shah

ACTIVITY: research about any one object in detail

Tutankhamun’s meteoric iron/ gold dagger- Egyptian civilization

Description , feature, discovery, significance,

Originally discovered in 1925 in Tutankhamun’s 14th century king valley tomb by an archaeologist Howard Carter
The origin of its un rusted iron blade has baffled scientists because such metalwork was rare in ancient Egypt.
The researchers say it was made of iron – along with levels of nickel and cobalt
Ancient Egyptians attached great significance to meteoritic iron for the production of fine ornamental or ceremonial objects, the researchers say.
The high manufacturing quality of the blade in comparison with other simple-shaped meteoritic iron artefacts “suggests a significant mastery of ironworking in Tutankhamun’s time
The dagger had a decorated gold handle and a gold sheath with a floral lily motif on one side and a feather pattern on the other
It had a decorated gold handle with a pommel of rock crystal, and the iron blade was protected with a gold sheath decorated with a pattern of lilies on one side, feathers on the other, and a jackal’s head
There is no exact date when this dagger was made but the research says it was made during tutankhamun’s reign which was from 1332 to 1323 B.C.E, aprox between this period the dagger was made.