Campo del Cielo (“Valley of the Sky”) meteorites are the result of a cataclysmic collision between two asteroids in interplanetary space. The Campo parent asteroid shattered with massive sections being ejected into interplanetary space.  When a large fragment later struck Earth’s upper atmosphere about 4,000 years ago, the result was further explosive fragmentation into thousands of meteorites. The larger meteorites struck the ground at such a high velocity that an array of at least 26 impact craters formed, the largest measuring a football field in diameter. This meteorite, while far smaller, looms large: it was formed by a large impact onto an asteroid located between Jupiter and Mars. Spanish Conquistadors in Argentina were the first to document the meteorites in the 16th Century, but never for an instant considered their extraterrestrial origin.

Surprisingly dense, this meteorite evidences cleavage along its crystalline planes. A graphite patina with ochre accents shrouds a finely stippled texture, all of which are the result of its multi-millennial exposure to the elements of Earth. This meteorite also features a rarity — two naturally formed holes, the largest of which helps to provide a desirable asymmetry to its form on both the obverse and reverse.

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.


58 x 63 x 37mm (2.25 x 2.5 x 1.5 in.) and 343.4g (0.75 lbs)