Gold finger ring with figure of Nike, Greece, 3rd century BCE (Cleveland Museum of Art)

Civilizations rise and fall, but their gold remains. For thousands of years, cultures around the world have treated gold as sacred, using it to create jewelry, ritual objects, and symbols of power. Unlike most materials of the ancient world, gold survives almost unchanged from when it was first created. This gives us extraordinary insight into ancient civilizations as well as the artistry and craftsmanship of ancient goldsmiths.

Gold is literally stardust, formed when two stars collide. Its luminous color and natural beauty have fascinated humans since the earliest periods of history. Gold is remarkably malleable and yet highly resistant to tarnish and corrosion. These unique properties allowed ancient goldsmiths to create objects that have survived for millennia.

Fragment of gold jewelry excavated from the ancient site of Troy, 2500-2200 BCE, Istanbul Archaeological Museum (photo by Alexis Menten)

Gold was one of the first metals discovered by humans. In antiquity, as today, it could be found in nature as grains or nuggets in the Earth’s crust, often washed into rivers and streams as alluvial gold. Ancient Greek writers describe how animal skins were used to capture these particles as water flowed through the fur—perhaps the origin of the legend of the Golden Fleece. Gold was also mined extensively, particularly in Egypt, which was one of the ancient world’s major sources of the metal. The immense quantity of gold found in the tomb of Tutankhamun would have been staggering even in antiquity.

Relief showing goldsmiths weighing and smelting gold to make collars and jewelry, tomb of Mereruka, Saqqara, Egypt, ca. 2349 BCE (Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago)

The ancient Egyptian word for gold—nbw or nub—was derived from Nubia, where many of Egypt’s gold mines were located. The hieroglyph for gold, nebu, is represented by an open necklace with six pendants. This symbol appears on the coin below, above the hieroglyph nefer, meaning “good” or “beautiful.”

Gold coin of Nectanebo II, Late Period, Egypt, ca. 360-343 BCE

In Egypt, as in many ancient cultures, gold was considered sacred. Seemingly imbued with an eternal and mysterious power, it was associated with the heavens and with the gods from the earliest periods of human history. Gold objects and jewelry were offered to the gods, used to adorn temples, and placed on the statues of deities. Ancient gold jewelry and artifacts therefore reveal not only what people wore, but what they believed.

Gold wreath on statuette, Etruscan ca. 800-200 BCE (Museo Nazionale Etrusco di Villa Giulia)

Across time, gold has also served as a means of storing wealth. Gold objects and jewelry were used as offerings to the gods, as heirlooms passed down through generations, and as grave goods intended to accompany the dead into eternity. In many ancient societies, as today, gold jewelry functioned as a form of currency and personal savings. Heavy chains, coin pendants, and solid gold bracelets or armlets could all serve as portable wealth.

Gold bracelet, Roman, 1st-3rd century CE (Art Institute of Chicago)

Due to its value, gold has always been melted down and reused. Much ancient gold jewelry has therefore disappeared over time, transformed into new objects for new generations. The gold we wear today originated far beyond our solar system and has passed through countless eras of natural and human history. Every piece of gold jewelry carries the history of its cosmic origins, its human craftsmanship, and the enduring power of the material itself.

Continuing the Tradition
For thousands of years, gold has inspired reverence, artistry, and craftsmanship. The pieces below draw on this long tradition of working with one of the most extraordinary materials on Earth.

Apeiron Chain
Handmade 22k gold loop-in-loop chain of an ancient design.

Hellenistic Ring
Emerald ring handcrafted in 22k gold inspired by Hellenistic signet rings.

Stele Necklace
Handmade 22k gold tablet pendant based on ancient commemorative stele.