In tracing the history of gold through the ages this beautiful bookshowcases the multifarious uses to which the precious metal has been put.Drawing on her own l... » 

In tracing the history of gold through the ages this beautiful bookshowcases the multifarious uses to which the precious metal has been put.Drawing on her own long experience investigating the art and science ofmetallurgy Susan La Niece guides readers through the rich history of gold. Indetailed images and descriptive text her book shows us gold over the millenniaas coinage jewelry and ornamentation highstatus vessels and grave goods asgifts of distinction and as radiant symbols in rituals of magic and worship. Following a glimmering trail through distant times and places Gold takesus to cultures as disparate as the Mughals of India the AngloSaxons ofBritain and the preHispanic civilizations of the New World. It considers thework of alchemists and goldsmiths the myths and the legends the fakes andfine art. And in the end it offers a fittingly lavish and deeply informedpicture of gold in all its practical figurative commercial artistic andhistorical facets. «