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Gold in History
For how long has mankind used gold?
Gold has been used by mankind for all of recorded history.
How much gold has been refined in the world?
As of the end of 2006, it was estimated that about 158,000 metric tons of gold had been mined by man since the beginning of recorded history.
Why has gold traditionally been used for top honour awards, such as Olympic medals and the Nobel Prize?
Because gold has always generally been prized by man, as a cultural more the use of gold in awards and medals has been practiced for ages. Its durability, weight, luster and perception as a luxury item have all contributed to this tradition.
What is the earliest known historical reference to gold?
Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs dating to around 2600 BCE reference gold. Egypt was a major producer of gold in the ancient world; the oldest known map (the Turin Papyrus) features a gold mine under construction in the Egyptian province of Nubia.
What were the earliest known gold coins?
Examples from the ancient kingdom of Lydia date to approximately 510 BCE, and are both the earliest known gold coins and the earliest known coins of any type.
Did the Aztecs really have "cities of gold?"
Although the Aztecs certainly had a great deal of gold, and in particular their temple complexes were very heavy with the metal, recent studies suggest that much of what the conquistadors thought was gold was actually tumbaga -- an alloy of gold, copper and other metals.
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