Tutankhamun's Pectoral Scarab: The Search for the Identity of the Yellow Gem Continues..........

The treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb continue to astonish us, even after all these years. The young pharaoh's pectoral scarab has long been admired for its intricate beauty, but recent research has revealed that there is more to this jewel than meets the eye.

Studies published in the journal Geology have shed light on the origin of the mysterious yellow gem that adorns the scarab. It turns out that the gem was formed 29 million years ago by the impact of a meteorite in the Libyan desert. This astonishing discovery was made by Aaron J. Cavosie of the Institute of Geoscientific Research at Curtin University and Christian Koeberl of the University of Vienna.

By analyzing zircons inside glass samples found in the desert, the researchers were able to link the gem to the meteorite. This is because only meteor impacts can create the shock waves that form minerals at high pressure, which give rise to such a unique and beautiful gem. What's more, this makes the yellow gem the second space-origin object in Tutankhamun's burial trousseau, as even his famous dagger is made from iron from a meteorite.

The discovery of this space-origin gem provides a tantalizing glimpse into the ancient world and the beliefs and customs of our ancestors. It reminds us of the profound connections between the heavens and earth, and the way in which even the most unlikely of events can shape our world and its history. The treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb continue to hold secrets and surprises, and who knows what other mysteries await discovery in the years to come?