Exhibiting the classic dappled patina characteristic of the very best Henbury meteorites. Almost of the form of a Neolithic axe, with a highly textured surface and a multitude of ridges and flumes. An extremely aesthetic complete individual covered in small regmaglypts.

Henbury is one of the great meteorite showers on record. Following a multi-million-year sojourn through interplanetary space, the iron mass fell in Northern Territory, Australia about 4,200 years ago creating a field of 13 craters measuring up to 180 meters across and 15 meters deep. This crater field is considered a sacred site to the Arrernte Aboriginal people whose elders would not camp near the craters nor drink rainwater collected there, referring to them as "chindu china waru chingi yabu", roughly translating to "sun walk fire devil rock". Although the craters were discovered in 1899, the first meteorites were not identified until 1931 following reports of metal stones being used by Aboriginal Australians. This complete specimen possesses the quintessential features of the best Henbury meteorites. The scalloped face of this specimen is bathed in a muted oxidized patina adorned with burnt-sienna highlights—the result of the Australian desert having chemically bonded to the meteorite’s surface. Henbury is a member of the largest chemical group (IIIAB) of iron meteorites and originated from an asteroid that was shattered by a major collision about 650 million years ago. This is a select, notable example of this famous meteorite.

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.
240 mm x 190 mm x 90 mm (9¹⁄₂ x 7¹⁄₂ x 3¹⁄₂ in.)
6.7kg.

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