Uknown artist, magic knife (peseshkef) inscribed for King Khufu, EgyptianOld Kingdom, Dynasty 4, reign of Khufu (Cheops), 2551–2528 BCE. Flint. Harvard University—Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition.
Uknown artist, magic knife (peseshkef) inscribed for King Khufu, EgyptianOld Kingdom, Dynasty 4, reign of Khufu (Cheops), 2551–2528 BCE. Flint. Harvard University—Boston Museum of Fine Arts Expedition.
Iron from the Sky: Reexamination of an Ancient Egyptian Fishtail Knife
3:00 pm–4:30 pm
The only iron available in ancient Egypt before the Iron Age (1200–550 BCE) came from meteors. Interestingly Hieroglyphs for iron translate to “iron from the sky” in English and are connected with hieroglyphs for thunderstorms, which suggests the ancient Egyptians were somehow aware of iron’s extraterrestrial source.
Learn about a fishtail knife formerly accepted as non-meteoritic and how recent analysis posits that the ancient Egyptians knew something we don’t.
Co-organized with Curators Circles: Conservation and Collections, and Lotus Society.
This program is scheduled to be an in-person event, however, details may be subject to change.
Curators Circles: Conservation and Collections and Lotus Society members