Gold as a Symbol of Wealth and Power in Ancient Civilizations

Humans have been fascinated by gold for millennia. Gold was appreciated in the past as an expression of power, prosperity, and heavenly splendour.

Egyptians believed that gold represented God’s body in its entirety. To honour the souls of the deceased in the hereafter, gold decorations and jewels were found in plenty of Egyptian tombs. In Mesopotamia, which served as the birthplace of society, gold was a symbol of riches and authority. The earliest documented instances of gold artifacts date to the Sumerian culture, which predated them by some 5,000 years.

For the South American Incas, gold symbolized the sun, a god who granted life. The Spanish conquistadors who arrived in the 1500s were mesmerized by the quantity of gold that was used to decorate Incan temples and mansions. Gold has been linked to the divine, prosperity, power, and social standing throughout history.

The Spiritual Significance of Gold in Religion and Mythology

In many cultures and mythologies around the world, gold is adored and revered as a spiritual emblem.

Christians often use the colour gold as a symbol of virtue, wisdom, and immortality. Hinduism holds gold in high regard as a sacred item that stands for God, wealth, and purity. The Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, is the holiest location in the Sikh religion. It is covered in gold to represent spiritual happiness and enlightenment. Buddhist deities frequently have golden haloes, Buddhist monks frequently dress in golden robes, etc.

In Chinese tradition, gold represents wealth, joy, and good fortune that’s the reason that on the Chinese New Year, gold jewellery and coins are often given as present.

Gold as a Symbol of Love and Commitment 

In wedding customs, gold has been used to symbolise love and commitment since around 860 AD. In many Western societies, exchanges of gold wedding rings are common. Because eternity has no beginning or end, the ring’s round design conveys this.