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Monolithic Stone Meteorite
$89,000
£69,292.46
€78,805.48
CA$128,049.73
A$140,656.98
CHF 73,508.20
MX$1,677,451
NOK 930,812.73
SEK 867,130.56
DKK 588,871.70
About the Item
Unclassified Meteorite
Stone
Height: 36.83 cm
42.5 kg
A dramatic extraterrestrial sculpture, of monolithic form, covered in a thick grey-brown fusion crust and with areas of sandy deposits from untold years spent on the desert floor. Formed in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter during the formation of our solar system, some 4.55 billion years ago, this large stone would have been separated from its parent body by an enormous impact before journeying through interplanetary space and eventually reaching Earth.
Upon atmospheric entry it would have reached cosmic velocity, heating the surrounding air to 1700°C and producing a large ball of fire. The heat was sufficient to melt the outer surface of the stone, exposing a new surface which in turn also melted away, losing as much as 95% of its initial mass before reaching the ground. The last molten layer to form as it collided with the Earth covered the stone in a layer of fusion crust, evidence of the incredible impact force delivered by this extraordinary specimen.
“This unclassified stone meteorite was found in Northwest Africa. It has a relatively smooth, dark brown, slightly weathered fusion crust; some small melt veins are visible on the surface. Due to the near-absence of terrestrial rocks in this region of the Sahara, meteorite hunting in this area has yielded many notable discoveries.”
Dr Alan E. Rubin, PhD Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, UCLA
Provenance:
- Discovered in Northwest Africa (exact coordinates unknown)
Published:
- ArtAncient, Extraterrestrial (2022).
- Dimensions:Height: 14.51 in (36.83 cm)Diameter: 14.14 in (35.91 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:4.55 Billion Y/O
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: 428541stDibs: LU1052232065262
About the Seller
5.0
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1stDibs seller since 2014
106 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 6 hours
Associations
LAPADA - The Association of Arts & Antiques DealersInternational Confederation of Art and Antique Dealers' AssociationsThe British Antique Dealers' Association
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: London, United Kingdom
- Return Policy
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