In all of human recorded history, gold occupies a lofty position. It is found in the economy as a carrier of value, in art as a symbol of greatness, and in social interactions as a sign of elevated status. Religions around the world reinforce this key place for gold, using it literally, in contexts linked to divinity, or metaphorically, as a mark of purity.
Today’s most widespread religion, encompassing more than two billion people – we are talking, of course, about Christianity in all its forms – is a rich source of examples of this attitude towards gold. In one of Christianity’s most enduring and exciting legends (see Exodus 25:10-22), God himself, through the voice of Moses, commanded his people to build a wooden box to keep the Ten Commandments; The lid of this box was entirely made of gold, adorned with two solid gold cherubs, so that he might come out from among them to speak to the people about him and appease his souls. King Solomon’s famous lost gold mines, believed to have existed (if they existed) in Africa, are mentioned in connection with the building of the first temple in Jerusalem. In addition, the Magi offered gold, along with frankincense and myrrh (all signs of royalty) to the baby Jesus.
It is notable that one of the world’s oldest religions, Hinduism, considers wealth as one of the four goals set before man during his life on earth. Along with righteousness (dharma), sensual pleasure (kama) and freedom (moksa), prosperity (artha) is even a duty for the Hindu man, who must gather as much wealth as possible without crossing the line of established morality. by the Vedas. Hindus consider gold pure enough to contain their souls: Yama, god of justice, is depicted holding a fiery mirror and golden scales to measure the spirit of the dead as they enter the afterlife.
On the naughtier side of the religious narrative, the ancient Greek god Zeus, ruler of all other gods and men, known to be partial to earthly women, approached one of them (Danae), in the form of a shower of gold. . ; the result of this union was the hero Perseus (who killed the evil Medusa). The Golden Fleece, another famous piece of Greek mythology, is said to come from a winged ram sired by the sea god Poseidon.
Many other religions and beliefs treasure gold for its properties and use it to symbolize purity, constancy, divinity, etc. Most depictions of gods, whether monotheistic or polytheistic, include some element of gold: most often a crown, or entire limbs made of it, the throne, the book of scriptures, etc. Clearly, since the dawn of civilized man, gold has been associated with value, and therefore validated above any other type of material possession.