The World of the Hittite tablets

 

A map depicting the world of the Hittites, that is the names of states, kingdoms, places, cities, peoples, islands, etc, which are noted on the tablets found in the Hittite capital Hattusas (in the center of Asia Minor on the map).

Assyrian Empire 750-625 BCE

 

A detailed map of the Assyrian Empire, one of my favourite historical topics, at its greater expanse in 750-625 BCE. The map notes the limits of the empire during the reign of Sargon II (specifically in 720 BCE) and under Assurbanipal (in 640 BCE).

The meteoritic origin of Tutankhamun’s iron dagger blade

Republication from Wiley O.Library

 

Tutankhamun’s iron dagger

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Scholars have long discussed the introduction and spread of iron metallurgy in different civilizations. The sporadic use of iron has been reported in the Eastern Mediterranean area from the late Neolithic period to the Bronze Age. Despite the rare existence of smelted iron, it is generally assumed that early iron objects were produced from meteoritic iron. Nevertheless, the methods of working the metal, its use, and diffusion are contentious issues compromised by lack of detailed analysis. Since its discovery in 1925, the meteoritic origin of the iron dagger blade from the sarcophagus of the ancient Egyptian King Tutankhamun (14th C. BCE) has been the subject of debate and previous analyses yielded controversial results.