Earliest (good) evidence of a death by meteorite

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Chich Canada
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Earliest (good) evidence of a death by meteorite

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Post by Chich »


I'm a bit of a history buff and while looking through one of my favourite blogs I came across this post on (the) Earliest (good) evidence of a death by meteorite. It was on August 22nd 1888 in what is now Sulaymaniyah Iraq. The reports are 3 letters starting with the local area governor and ending with a cc to the Sultan asking what to do about the event. One man was killed and another paralyzed.

Not a lot of details but as the article states, these were essentially bureaucratic reports with no sensationalism which only adds to their believably.

Not sure about the stated odds of being killed by a meteorite though. Seems low to me.

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/58476
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Re: Earliest (good) evidence of a death by meteorite

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Post by oscaletrains »


Well, they probably never knew what hit them...
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Re: Earliest (good) evidence of a death by meteorite

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Post by mikelangelo »


I've just started my research project about this fact.
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Re: Earliest (good) evidence of a death by meteorite

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Post by mikemarotta »


"... but as the article states, these were essentially bureaucratic reports with no sensationalism which only adds to their believably."

Things can change by time and place but in graduate school (2009) I had a class in complex organizations and the professor started us with a bit about Rome but then dove deep in the Islamic Caliphate. A true bureaucracy is essential for an empire because each item of information (each piece of paper) must move from desk to desk on its own merits independent of the family ties of the originator. I would accept the report as valid.

Ann Hodges (Sylacauga, Alabama, 1954) is still regarded as the only "known person" struck by a meteorite. Your report did not name the victims. So, she wins. However, Astronomy magazine has this online about other events.

https://astronomy.com/news/2020/05/deat ... meteorites
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