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Tishomingo   contributed by Darryl Pitt   MetBul Link

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View all entries for   Meteorite (2)   Darryl Pitt (23)


1.255 kg. 229 x 219 x 3mm.   Iron, ung.

TKW 260 kg. Fall not observed. Found 1965, near Tishomingo, Johnston County, Oklahoma, USA.

      buchlink


Darryl writes:
Tishomingo has long been one of my favorite meteorites. First, there is the matter of the name. Tishomingo, the capital of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma, was named for a Chickasaw Indian chief who died in the Trail of Tears (the ongoing forced relocations of Native American from the southeast in the mid 1800s to west of the Mississippi River — during the course of which thousands died from starvation, disease and exposure) and he never made it. Tishomingo, Mississippi was named after the same chief.

Secondly, in terms of its melt value, Tishomingo is intrinsically among the most valuable meteorites due to a nickel content of approximately 32.5%.

Thirdly, it is ungrouped, and while there are many ungrouped irons, only the smallest fraction look truly extraordinary. Referring to the course martensitic structure, Vagn Buchwald wrote in the "Handbook of Iron Meteorites":
A similar structure is unknown in any other meteorite…Tishomingo is a very pure iron-nickel alloy. No carbides, phosphides or silicates were identified at all…Tishomingo is a unique meteorite, unrelated to any other meteorite.

Lastly, it was found by a young boy while bird hunting and I was able to acquire several specimens in an exchange with one of the most gracious and lovely men I will ever have the pleasure to know, Dr. Art Ehlmann at TCU (Monnig Collection).

One side of this complete slice is etched and scattered blebs of troilite provide accents. This is an exemplary specimen of a most distinguished meteorite.


Lot 45 of Christie’s Deep Impact Auction ending 8/25/20
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#1

Found at the arrow (green or red) on the map below

 


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Jim Strope
 8/24/2020 12:20:32 PM
Great post. Thank you for sharing.
Don Cracraft 2650
 8/24/2020 12:01:46 PM
Thanks for the great writeup. It is history, and now is recorded. A non-metoritic comment: When I first saw this image, I was struck by how much it looks like a wolf's head.
Bernd Pauli
 8/24/2020 11:43:37 AM
Martin Horejsi dedicated an article to Tishomingo in the Aug 2000 issue of M! => HOREJSI M. et al. (2000) The Tishomingo Iron - A Beautiful Mystery (M!, August 2000, Vol. 6, No.3, pp. 36-37).
Martin Lollar
 8/24/2020 10:52:11 AM
What a wonderful write up, Darryl! I also have a close to kilogram slice that I quite love. This meteorite was discovered only 30 miles South from where I was born and raised in Ada. I was 7 years old and I*ve managed to find my home town*s local newspaper archive where it was a front page article. I*ve also visited TCU where Dr. Rhiannon Mayne let me look through Oscar Monnig correspondence with the finder and The Smithsonian about it. Also Dr. Ehlmann*s notes (wish I could have met him). Lastly, I shot a picture of myself with my piece of it about 200 feet from the MetBul posted coordinates. Glad to know this is a special meteorite to someone else, thanks for the picture and wonderful write up!
Twink Monrad
 8/24/2020 9:01:26 AM
Beautiful iron, interesting story and design, great photo
matthias
 8/24/2020 4:18:15 AM
What an unusual and spectacular looking iron. And how fascinating what you have to tell about it. Thanks for that, Darryl.
Andi Koppelt
 8/24/2020 1:19:33 AM
Outstanding! Thanks for showing!
 

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