| Gibeon | |
|---|---|
 Gibeon meteorites in Post Street Mall, Windhoek | |
| Country | Namibia |
| Region | Karas |
The Brukkaros Mountain and the Gibeon Meteorite Fountain
editThe Brukkaros Mountain is situated in the Karas Region, southern part of Namibia. has a height of 1,590 meters at its peak. Millions of years ago a meteiorite shower occurred over the Brukkaros Mountain, southeast of Gibeon in southern Namibia. It covered an area of 20,000km², with a concentrated cover of 2,500km² in the surrounding village of Gibeon (60km south of Mariental). And is known to be the largest shower of its kind in the world.
Meteors are tiny particles of small matter drifting around in great speed, in space. While meteorites are large meteors that strike the earth before it burns out.
The History of Gibeon Meteorite Fountain
editThey were first reported in 1838 by Captain who later became General Sir J E Alexander, who was traveling on the east side of the "Great Fish River", and a few samples of the meteorite was sent to London. In the 1911 to 1913, 37 specimens of the 77 Gibeon Meteorites, that ranged from 195-506kg in weight, were brought to Windhoek by a German State Geologist, Dr P Range. Even though the export of meteorites were prohibited,and a fine of 600 German Marks was given to those who went against it, 4 of the 37 meteorites that were found near Gibeon, was donated worldwide to research institutions.
After World War1, they were displayed in the Zoo Park in the city center. And then in 1975 they were removed from the Zoo Park and stored them in the Alte Feste Museum's courtyard.This is where 2 of the meteorites were stolen; the 3rd one was stolen after they were installed on the Mountain Fountain display in Post Street Mall.
All meteorites that are found in the country are automatically protected as national monuments and are not to be removed from their original sites. Any meteorites that have been legally removed, can be viewed at the Geological Survey Museum in Aviation Road near Eros Airport in Windhoek.
The Gibeon Meteorites at Post Street Mall was proclaimed a national monument on 15th February 1950.
See Also
editReferences
edit- du Preez A,2007,Understanding History in Context:Grade8.Windhoek,Namibia:Longman
- Torbit W and Gallert P,2011, Information Competence Study Guide,Polytechnic of Namibia-Windhoek,COLL
- Gibeon Iron Meteorites: Their Discovery, History and Research
- Gibeon Meteorites
- Gibeon Meteorites Namibia