Unveiling Mesopotamia's Magnetic Anomaly Through Ancient Bricks

Inscriptions on Mesopotamian bricks from over 3,000 years ago have provided evidence of a curious strengthening of the Earth's magnetic field known as the Levantine Iron Age geomagnetic Anomaly. By measuring the magnetism of iron oxide grains in the bricks, researchers have found that the magnetic field in the Middle East was almost twice as strong during this period compared to a thousand years earlier. The study has also helped to refine the chronology of the reigns of Mesopotamian kings and has shed light on the rapid fluctuations that the geomagnetic field can undergo.