A 3,000-year-old object made of iron, likely from a meteorite, has been discovered in the soil of Sanxingdui, a major archaeological site in Southwest China. The discovery sheds new light on the Sanxeddui culture and the use of iron for crafting precious objects long before iron smelting became widespread. The object is at least 90 percent iron by weight, with 7.41 percent nickel, and the rest trace elements. It was found in what archaeologists refer to as "sacrificial pits" in the ritual precinct of the walled city, which may have been used for ritual offerings. The presence of ash, charcoal, and evidence of burning on some objects suggests these sites were used for rituals. The conservation of the object's fragile state poses significant challenges.