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Around 1500 BC, the effects of the large amounts of gold found in the Nubian Desert changed the world forever. The Egyptians quickly came to covet the brightness and malleability of this precious metal and started using it for trade. In fact their abundance of the ore made Egypt a wealthy nation, and introduced the concept of currency we use today. Mining Methods This precious ore was mined in two different places in ancient Egypt, mines and rivers. Mines - Ore extracted from mines in the Eastern Desert and Nubia was called nub-en-set or 'gold of the mountain'. Rivers - Ore extracted from the Nile river was called nub-en-mu or 'gold of the river'. Interestingly enough, much of the material used to demonstrate the skills of goldsmiths' ability was captured, stolen, imported or gifted and not actually sourced in Egypt. King Tutankhamen's Riches In the early 1300's BC King Tutankhamen, a young and mediocre King was buried after his untimely death. Like his ancestors, his body was adorned with gold, silver and jewels to take him to the afterlife. Although he was considered unremarkable then, today King Tut is famous due to his lack of grandeur. Because he died too young to accumulate as many riches, his tomb wasn't as elaborate as the bigger Kings and was not robbed by gypsies and archeologists drawn to the riches and mysteries of the pyramids. Tut himself was not found and exhumed until 1922. Enhancement Through Experimentation Around 1200 BC the Egyptian people began to experiment with the precious metal and developed gold-leafing. An artesian skill in which the raw metal was beaten flat into thin sheets. Through this process came experiments which created alloys by melding leafing with other metals to enhance color variation and hardness. Different mixes create different colors: Copper - red and pink gold Copper and silver - yellow gold Copper zinc and nickel - white gold Silver - green gold This opened a new spectrum of potential for raw gold and the alloys that could be created from it, and allowed artisans to incorporate beauty into more functional items such as furniture, weapons and funeral masks. An Artesian Tradition Coins from as long ago as the 1300's BC still exist today, as a testament to their craftsmanship many of them are in great condition. Today, gold is still an appreciated and coveted Egyptian tradition. Jewelers train for years to learn the ancient art form, and it is one that still creates beautiful and elaborate pieces. Much of which is sold in popular tourist market areas to people who want to take home a piece of Egyptian history.
Paige Filler is a professional copywriter, and you can find more of her work at www.goldpaq.com
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