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Primary sourceArtifactc. 1400 BCE

Tutankhamun's Meteoric Iron Dagger Blade

c. 1400 BCE

An iron-bladed dagger with a gold handle, found wrapped in Tutankhamun's mummy wrappings, its blade made from meteoric iron.

This dagger was buried with Tutankhamun's mummy and shows the rare, valuable materials surrounding his burial.

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Photograph of an ancient dagger lying on a dark surface. The long, slightly worn metal blade tapers to a point toward the right. The hilt on the left has a gold-colored handle wrapped in patterned gold bands and a round pommel.
Meteoric iron dagger from the tomb of Tutankhamun, c. 1400 BCE. Egyptian Museum, Cairo.

About this source

What it is

This dagger was found between the mummy wrappings on Tutankhamun's thigh. Its blade is iron with a high nickel content, shown by later scientific analysis to have come from a meteorite, and its handle is gold. It is held at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Why it matters

At the time of Tutankhamun's burial, iron smelting was rare in Egypt, and iron objects were used mainly for ritual, ornamental or gift purposes. This dagger was likely a diplomatic gift, showing the rare materials and far-reaching contacts available to the Egyptian court, and reflecting ancient Egyptian links between iron, meteorites and the stars.

Look closer

  • Why might a rare, sky-derived material be chosen for an object buried with a king?
  • What does the presence of this dagger suggest about trade or gift-giving between kingdoms?
  • What do we not know about how this specific object reached Tutankhamun's tomb?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Tutankhamun on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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