Mars – SNC (Shergottite); Ghadamis, Libya (30°11’N, 9°32’E)

Three unusual stones were found by Bedouins a few kilometers north of Gadamis, Libya in April 2019. Shortly thereafter, laboratory analyses led by the world’s foremost classifier of lunar and Martian meteorites, Dr. Anthony Irving, confirmed his suspicion these rocks were pieces of the planet Mars.

As is the case with the Moon, specimens of Mars are among the most exotic substances on Earth with less than 800 pounds (350 kg) known to exist. The delivery mechanism to Earth was an asteroid impact on Mars that ejected material off the surface that eventually found its way into an Earth-crossing orbit. The parameters in determining Martian origin were established by hundreds of international scientists. In addition to many arcane chemical and isotopic markers, most Martian meteorites evidence an unusually young crystalline age and water alteration.

The link to Mars was speculative until an analysis was conducted several decades ago on the glassy inclusions of suspected Martian meteorites. Within the glass were tiny vugs, and within these vugs were tiny volumes of gas. The gas was analyzed and it matched perfectly with the signature of the Martian atmosphere as reported by NASA’s Viking Martian landers.

The specimen now offered is truly exceptional in that it has four faces, each of which exhibits an important and notably different character. One surface has a band of fresh fusion crust, the result of the meteorite having been toasted as it burned through Earth’s atmosphere; another surface has secondary crust, the result of an upper atmospheric air-break where crust again began to form — but failed to become entirely encrusted due to insufficient time as the meteorite decelerated in the atmosphere; a third face is a terrestrial impact break with a light desert varnish which provides a peek at the matrix; the last surface is the cut and polished face which reveals, in sharp-focus, the large-grained diabasic texture of the specimen now seen.

The matrix is extremely fresh with prismatic clinopyroxene, as well as lathes of maskelynite with accessory merrillite, apatite, ilmenite and pyrrhotite. One such lathe is 16 mm long — among the largest documented. Pockets of shock melt are in evidence which might contain trapped pockets of Martian atmosphere. While modest in size, the tales this Martian specimen tells are titanic — and it’s likely there is not a Martian sample this size, and this quality, as broadly appealing as this offering.

Christie's would like to thank Dr. Alan E. Rubin at the Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles for his assistance in preparing this catalogue.

31 x 59 x 33mm (1.25 x 2.33 x 1.33 in.) and 54.96 grams