The Iron Rain of Gibeon
In a stretch of Namibian desert, iron lies scattered across the ground as if it had rained down from the sky. It did.
What was reported
Across an area of southern Namibia about 275 kilometres long, people have found hundreds of masses of almost pure iron, some weighing hundreds of kilograms. The Nama people of the region used the iron to make tools and weapons long before Europeans arrived.
In 1838, a British explorer sent samples to London, where they were found to be meteoritic iron. Many large pieces were later gathered up, and 33 of them are displayed on columns in the centre of Windhoek.
Explanations offered
The irons are fragments of one huge meteorite that broke up in the atmosphere in prehistoric times, scattering pieces over a wide area. When cut and etched, the metal shows beautiful crystal patterns, and it's used in jewellery.
- When
- Fell in prehistoric times; known since the 1830s
- Where
- Gibeon, Hardap, Namibia
- Witnesses
- The Nama people, and later scientists
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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