Greece: Meteorites may have been even more precious millennia ago, both symbolically and as a much-appreciated source of iron for pre-Iron Age societies. These include the legendarily influential pre-Greeks, like the Minoans of Minotaur-ian fame and Mycenaeans of the Iliad and Odyssey, who brandished flashy rings made from meteorites to assert their prominence and power, a recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science suggests.

According to Iraqi News Agency, throughout history, people around the world crafted meteorites into tools, weapons, and jewelry. Examples include scrapers in Greenland, axe-like votives in China, jewels in pre-Columbian America, and auspicious talismans in Egypt, where King Tut’s famously tantalizing space dagger continues to fascinate.

During their ‘five-year odyssey’, the researchers analyzed the chemical composition of over 100 artifacts from what is now Greece, focusing on 91 iron objects, mostly rings, bracelets, and knives, dating from the Bronze Age circa 3,800 to 3,000 years ago. Using non-destructive X-ray fluorescence, the researchers detected that 13 of these objects contain nickel and may have been forged using iron from meteorites.

Interestingly, all 13 of these items are fancy, Skyrim-worthy finger rings that incorporate other metals like gold or silver. The rings also feature bezels that may have held signets, such as royal seals.