¹Giorgio S. Senesi, ²Albert Jambon, ¹Olga De Pascale, ^3,4Lahcen Ouknine, ^3,4Hassan Nachit, ^4,5Fouad Khiri, ^3,4Abderrahmane Ibhi
Meteoritics & Planetary Science (in Press)
Open Access Link to Article [DOI: 10.1111/maps.70242]
¹CNR—Istituto per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Plasmi (ISTP)—sede di Bari, Bari, Italy
²Université Côte d’Azur, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, OCA, IRD, Geoazur, Valbonne, France
³Earth Sciences Department, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
⁴University Meteorites Museum, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
⁵Faculty of Sciences, Earth Sciences Department, Laboratory of Geosciences, Environment and Geomatics (GEG), Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco

Published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons

Despite meteorites having been recognized as the source of iron in some ancientiron artifacts, few archeological irons have been analyzed so far, as invasive methods areprecluded. In this work, four iron knives and one axe collected near Guelmime and Imilchil(Morocco) were investigated by advanced analytical techniques, including handheldlaser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (hLIBS), still not yet widely used, and portableX-ray fluorescence (pXRF). The analyzed objects are undated iron findings recoveredwithout an archeological context and represent test cases for assessing the analyticalcapabilities of hLIBS on corroded iron objects of possible meteoritic origin. Major andtrace element analyses, internal stratigraphy by depth profiling, and microscalecompositional mapping have been performed, which allowed assessment of the samplecomposition, heterogeneity, and corrosion. One of the five specimens studied appeared to bemade of meteoritic iron. The relative uncorroded state of this specimen, when compared toBronze Age irons, enabled investigation of the effect of forging on the composition,especially the mobility of Ni. In particular, the reliability of hLIBS-acquired analytical datafor the major elements Fe and Ni and the trace elements Ge and Au was shown. As well, apossible source relationship of sample #5 with NWA 859 (Taza)/Oglat Sidi Ali meteoritewas discussed and proposed, based on the chemical variations ascribed to the interplay ofprimordial heterogeneity and the introduction of carbon upon forging and corrosion.Furthermore, the analytical limitations of the hLIBS technique were suggested not to beinstrumental, but due to the heterogeneity of natural specimens, confirming that hLIBSrepresents a robust analytical tool for future field archeology and archeometric studies.