Gold, chemical symbol AU, is a precious metal which has been used since centuries in jewellery, coinage, sculpture, vessels and as a decoration for buildings, monuments and statues and as well as consumed with food and medicines.

 

Gold does not corrode and so it became a symbol of immortality and power in many ancient cultures. Its rariety and aesthetic qualities made it an ideal material for ruling classes to demonstrate their power and opulence. Gold was first mined by the Egyptians and later by the Romans and  Africa, Portugal and Spain.