history of gold

Since ancient times, no other substance on earth has been so desired, fought over, revered or mythologized as Gold. Gold has long been equated with power and beauty in virtually every culture. Gold has been written about in the biblical Book of Genesis and by Greek sage and poet Homer who warned of its allure. It is, perhaps, the only metal universally accepted as a form of wealth, long before the first coins were ever minted. 

Mythological tales have been passed down from generation to generation surrounding Gold. Greedy King Midas was cursed with the Golden Touch and everything he touched was turned to Gold, including his beloved daughter. Jason and the Argonauts searched for the fabled Golden Fleece against Herculean odds, a mythological tale rooted in reality. Ancient miners used a sheep’s fleece as a type of sieve to capture the tiny, but heavy, flakes of Gold found in water. After the fleece dried, it was gently shaken and the Gold flakes were collected. This method was even practiced by some miners in the California Gold Rush of 1849.