The story of gold goes back thousands of years, when it was first introduced to the human race. When we look at gold history, we can see that gold it has spent thousands of years being the world’s currency, and outside of investment, still has hundreds of purposes that are used every day.
Gold was first discovered rather accidentally, and was discovered in its raw form, as shiny bright yellow gold nuggets. Its discovery was obviously extremely exciting for human society, as it was not only beautiful, but could be used in many different ways. Gold is naturally brilliant, with a great luster. It is also very malleable, and is resistant to tarnish, unlike its cousin silver.
Gold is also found all over the world, so it was very widely known from the very beginning. Everyone who found it was impressed by its beauty, and even though communication in ancient times was extremely limited, each society had the same universal love and admiration for gold. Outside of its beauty, gold was always very useful in that it was such an easy metal to work with. It can be worked with in its natural state which is quite unique for a metal.
The earliest of civilization equated gold with power and wealth, and therefore, was normally seen in relation to the gods, and the rulers of the time. It was normal for the gods and rulers in ancient civilizations to make normal household goods entirely out of gold. It was not uncommon to see thrones and cups, plates and vases, as well as jewelry, to be made entirely of solid gold. Gold was also often used in artwork, which was made famous in the Persian Empire, which is present day Iran.
Gold was also traded and coveted with new height during the Roman times, when the city sought out the best gold artisans to design and build household items and jewelry for the members of the higher classes in Rome. By the third century AD, it was very common for citizens of Rome to wear gold coins on a chain around their neck, with the coins bearing the image of the Roman Emperor.
In the United States, gold history is not as long or storied, but it is there none the less. Gold was starting to be found in the early 19th century, in the Western part of the country. The prospect of gold, and therefore, wealth, inspired many people to move out west, and to start to prospect for gold themselves. The gold rush officially started at Sutter’s Mill in 1848, and from there grew into a national sensation.
Today, gold is mostly seen as something from which we use for jewelry, or something that we purchase for investment purposes. Not many people realize the true versatility of gold, and know of its many uses. Due to its purity and malleability, it is often used in electronics, and is known for its extremely low failure rates. Most recently, researchers at M.I.T. have discovered that gold might hold the secret to fighting cancer, delivering drugs, and more.
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