Since ancient times, gold has been appraised for its beauty, a metal with unique chemical and physical properties. Gold has always been a valuable element for women, also being assessed in the mysterious practice of alchemy. If we rewind the pages of history, the practice of alchemists is described as a philosophical tradition whose sole[…]
Ancient texts report the vast quantities of statuary of gold, silver, bronze, and other metals. By Deborah SchorschConservatorMetropolitan Museum of Art, New York Egypt is a land rich in gold, and ancient miners employing traditional methods were thorough in their exploitation of economically feasible sources. In addition to the resources of the Eastern Desert, Egypt[…]
The trade of gold in West Africa goes back to antiquity. By Mark CartwrightHistorian Introduction West Africa was one of the world’s greatest producers of gold in the Middle Ages. Trade in the metal went back to antiquity but when the camel caravans of the Sahara linked North Africa to the savannah interior, the trade[…]
The Muisca, Quimbaya, Calima, Tairona, Tolima and Zenú chiefdoms in ancient Colombia used gold to fashion dramatic and sophisticated works of art. El Dorado For centuries Europeans were dazzled by the legend of a lost city of gold in South America. The truth behind this myth is fascinating. El Dorado–literally “the golden one”–actually refers to[…]