Gold

Gold has been valued in many cultures because it is rare, resists the corrosion that affects other metals and particularly because of its attractive brightness and colour. Gold is the most malleable of all metals, which means that it can be beaten to a leaf so thin it is translucent, and a single gram can be drawn into a fine wire 2.5 km long. It is used to reflect light and to shield spacecraft as well as to give value to coinage. Gold bullion, coins and objects of every kind have been hoarded as treasure. Gold has been used over the millennia for coinage, for jewellery and adornment, and as gifts on special occasions. It has also been linked to magic and the sun. Cultures as different as the Mughals of India, the Anglo-Saxons of Britain and the pre-Hispanic civilizations of the New World have created precious objects of gold and given special status to their goldsmiths. The author draws upon her long experience of investigating and making discoveries about golden objects to write entertainingly about the long and fascinating history of gold around the world and across time. This beautifully designed book will be a must-buy item for anyone who has ever worn, used, coveted or admired gold.