Gold in Ancient Egypt

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Gold

  • Ancient Egyptians believed that gold was a divine and indestructible metal associated with the sun,
  • During the Old Kingdom the Pharaoh was called "the Golden Horus", and the skin of gods was believed to be golden.
  • Gold was used in vast quantities by the Pharaohs. Though much was imported, received by way of tribute, or captured in warfare, Egyptian Metallurgy was reasonably productive.
  • Over one hundred ancient gold quarries have been discovered in Egypt and the Sudan, though within the limits of Egypt proper there appear to have been mines only in the desert valleys to the east of the Nile, a plan has been found for one of these mines in a papyrus of the fourteenth century B.C., and the remains of no fewer than 1,300 houses for gold-miners are still to be seen. The Egyptian word for gold is nub, which survives in the name Nubia.
  • Egyptian crafted Golden crafts, the predominant art forms are masks and small statues , which were generally used in religious ceremonies. Jewelry chariots,masks and gloves
  • The famous Tutankhamen solid gold mask, found on the Pharaoh's mummified body, was made of beaten and burnished gold, it was placed on top of the Pharaoh's head and shoulders over the linen wrappings of his mummified body. The stripes on the headdress were made of blue glass, as was the inlaid chin of blue. The false beard of divinity attached to the chin, is that of Osiris, the great god of the underworld


  • Page last updated: 15 Feb 2008
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