Gold in antiquity: Did you mean...?

A photograph of liquid gold in a refinery.

Gold daric from Persia, kingdom of Achaemenids, 5th-4th century BCE. O: King with bow and quiver. R: Incuse oblong.

The convex and carved surfaces of the earrings. Each earring is composed of nine lunar-shaped segments forming a flattened half- ball. The cuneiform signs run vertically from above downward, starting from the right end. A pair of gold earrings...

Dinar (gold coin) minted in 783 CE, during the reign of al-Mahdi (r. 755-785 CE) of the Abbasid dynasty (750-1258 CE).

A Mycenaean gold necklace from Dendra, 15-14th centuries BCE. (National Archaeological Museum, Athens)

Gold myrtle wreath from Macedonia, 4th century BCE. A religious symbol, also indicating social position, it was worn at public appearances, religious ceremonies and symposia, and accompanied its owner to the grave. Archaeological Museum...

Gold disk earrings with filigree decoration. Tomb 22, southern necropolis, Herakleia, southern Italy. 4th century BCE. (Archaeological Museum of Siritide, Policoro, Italy)

Roman gold and saphire ring, second half of the 2nd century CE. The ring has a garnet centre stone. From an unidentified marble sarcophagus in Rome. (Palazzo Massimo, Rome)

These are the upper surfaces of both earrings, with their concavity facing right. Note that the cuneiform signs are identical on the corresponding sides. A pair of gold earrings, 24 carats, approximately 48 grams. Gift from Shulgi to a chief...

Gold hair ornament from Agrigento, Sicily, 3rd century BCE. The central medallion depicts Medusa. Archaeological Museum of Agrigento.