As is the case with the Moon, specimens of the planet Mars are among the most exotic substances on Earth with less than 250 kg (550 lbs) known to exist. The delivery mechanism to Earth was an asteroid impact on Mars that ejected material off the Martian surface that eventually found its way into an Earth-crossing orbit. This is the 11,057th distinct meteorite to be recovered and classified by scientists after having been found in the North West Africa (NWA) region of the Sahara Desert. The determination of Martian origin is the result of research conducted by hundreds of scientists throughout the world. In addition to many arcane chemical and isotopic markers, most Martian meteorites have an unusually young crystalline age. The link to Mars was speculative until an analysis was conducted on glassy inclusions in other 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 Missions to Mars in 1976. This particular Martian sample is a medium-grained igneous assemblage of predominantly zoned clinopyroxene and maskelynite with accessory ilmenite (containing rare inclusions of baddeleyite and potassium-bearing glass). The author of the scientific abstract on NWA 11057 is Dr. Anthony Irving, the world’s foremost classifier of Martian and lunar meteorites. The official classification of this meteorite appears in the 106th edition of the Meteorite Bulletin. The specimen of Mars now offered contains a good deal of impact glass and, it can be confidently inferred, vesicles containing more Martian atmosphere than most Martian samples.

Large inclusions of dark impact glass are scattered across this specimen’s seemingly flat homogenous gray matrix. Within many of the pockets of impact melt are vugs that contain Martian atmosphere. Veins of impact melt transect the specimen. The exterior rim contains bright highlights, the result of exposure terrestrial desert elements. Modern cutting.

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.

The analysis of this meteorite was led by Dr. Anthony Irving, whose findings underwent peer review by the Nomenclature Committee of the Meteoritical Society. The analysis and classification was published in the 106th edition of the Meteoritical Bulletin — the official registry of meteorites.

117 x 135 x 4mm (4.66 x 5.33 x 0.1 in.) and 159.5g (0.33 lbs)