File:Chinga meteorite.png

English: Just added this 2.2 kg ungrouped ataxite to the collection. And I just read about it in Greg Brennecka’s new book Impact, which covers the impact meteorites have had on human culture: “In Tibet, meteoritic iron has long been known as namchang. This translates to ‘sky iron,’ suggesting the local population, even long ago, was aware of the skyward origins of at least iron meteorites. An 11th century carving of Vaiśravaṇa, an important figure in Buddhism, was found to be carved from an iron meteorite. Work by Buchner and colleagues in 2012 identified the specific meteorite the statue was carved from, the Chinga meteorite that fell on the border area between Siberia and Mongolia more than ten thousand years ago.” (p.83)

The researchers called the statue “iron man” in Buddha from space—An ancient object of art made of a Chinga iron meteorite fragment.

In the recent auction of Michael Farmer treasures, Christies described it as such: “Wrapped in original dark pewter patina with russet pockets, this engaging meteorite is of a surprisingly dense teardrop form. The meteorite is labeled “ungrouped,” indicating that it does not herald from any of the well-established iron meteorite groups. Chinga may be the only known representative of its parent asteroid.”

Wikipedia: “The Chinga meteorite is an ataxite with very rare kamacite lamella. Fragments of the meteorite were found in 1913 by gold diggers in Tuva near the Chinga River after which it is named. Studies from the fluvial deposits in which the meteorites was found estimate that it fell about 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. It burst during passage through the atmosphere, the pieces impacting on a glacier.”

170 mm x 100 mm x 50 mm, 2.2kg.