the explorers journal the global adventure issue - The Explorers Club

Ex Post Factotales from The Explorers Club archivesmeteoritesin Manhattanby Clare Flemming, M.S.When polar explorer John Ross returned fromhis 1818 expedition along the Greenland coast,he mentioned that the local Inuit had tools ofiron, the source of which he had not been ableto locate. He surmised that, when found, the ironwould prove to be meteoric in origin. Althoughothers sought the elusive metal, one determinedAmerican polar explorer was able to find it:Robert Edwin Peary (1856-1920). In a slightlyimmodest phrase, Peary reported to the world,“It was fortunately reserved for me to settle thequestion finally and definitely,” which he did atCape York at 72°N.There he found three meteorites that, accordingto traditional Inuit lore, were referred to as awoman, her dog, and her tent. How did Pearymanage to find what others sought? Peary simplytraded a rifle for the privileged information.Two summer expeditions in 1896 and 1897 wererequired to excavate and extract the meteorites,each of which weighed several tons. Peary transportedthem to Manhattan, selling all three to theAmerican Museum of Natural History (AMNH).These meteorites had been the sole source of62metal for the people of Cape York in an otherwiseStone Age society, until first contact with Europeanand American whalers and sealers allowed a scanttrade in knives and other metal bits.As usual, Peary’s Cape York team included hisindispensable assistant Matthew Henson andexpedition artist, Albert Operti. Operti recordedthe events in one of the most beautiful paintingson display at The Explorers Club, Cape YorkGreenland Eskimos Breaking Pieces of Meteoritefor Knives, which depicts a group of Inuit painstakinglybreaking away sharp fragments of iron foruse as blades for their saviksue (knives).A faint penciled remark at the bottom of the paintingstates that the sketch was made “on the spotfrom a piece of Admiral Peary’s work apron 1896.”Visitors to the AMNH today can see and touchthe celestial bodies, which are on view in theArthur Ross Hall of Meteorites.Peary wrote of his claiming, extracting, removing,and selling these ancient meteorites, “MyEskimo allies…never interposed the slightest objectionto my removal of their heavenly guests.”One wonders, did they have a choice?Photo by Craig Chesek for the Explorers Club