Dr. Hussien Bassir, an Egyptian archaeologist, said that Pharaonic Egypt was rich in gold.
He added that a ruler in the Near Eastern region once told King Amenhotep III “send me some gold as it’s available in your country like dust”.
Since ancient times, the pharaohs discovered about 125 gold mines in the western desert, the Red Sea and the Nubia regions.
The successive archaeological findings reflect the ancient Egyptians’ great experience in gold mining and processing.
A golden papyrus set in the Egyptian Museum in Torino, Italy clarifies all gold mines spread in the western desert.
This papyrus dates back to the reign of the King Seti I from the 19th dynasty.
Scenes on ancient tombs’ walls also show how Egyptians used fire in gold processing; in it, workers appear while melting gold in big containers made of ceramic then pouring it in forms to make jewelries.
The use of fire came in the second stage after Egyptians used to use hammer, anvil as well as some pressure tools to form ornaments.
One other great secret was that, fingers of little pygmies were the main reason behind the accuracy of the accessories’ shapes.
Out of gold, the pharaohs made many things like dome and bracelets unveiled in the tomb of Queen Hetepheres.
Queen Hetepheres belonged to the 4th dynasty. She was King Khufu’s mother and King Snefro’s wife.
Furthermore, the golden mask of King Tutankhamun, which weighs 11 kg, and his coffin, which weighs 110.5 kg, are also made of pure gold.
The mask of King Psusennes I from the 11th dynasty and the crown of Princess Sithathoriunet from the 4th dynasty were also among golden discoveries.
Some other bracelets, dating back to reign of King Ger from the 1st dynasty, were unveiled besides a number of charming gold pots.
On the other hand, the pharaohs used to bury gold with dead bodies; its color never changes and was closely related to the concept of immortality.
Also, as the color of gold reflects the sun rays’ color, the ancient Egyptians liked this precious metal.
Finally, gold was a means to decorate the pharaohs’ lives besides their other world and so many gold pieces lived to this day to impress us with their outstanding designs.
Contributed by Salma Yassin
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