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4000 BCE
Beginning of use
Gold has been used dating as far back as 4,000 BCE being used as a sculpting material to make decorative objects. This originally was a cultural use, as it was seen used by ancient civilizations for decor. Early civilizations associated gold with the gods and immortality, meaning that gold was also a symbol of class. -
550 BCE
Use in trade
Throughout the time passed, gold remained a symbol of wealth, when eventually in 550 BCE, it began to be used as a form of currency in trading. It became something with economic value that was traded across Asia, Europe, and Africa in exchange for other goods. The decorative and social value of it also remained because it was still valued as such. -
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Gold’s medicinal and [physically] therapeutic use
A French medical study in 1927 proved gold to be useful for treating rheumatoid arthritis, which was later confirmed in 1960 to be true. Now, gold has commonly been used in dentistry for fillings and other things because of its durability. It also shows promise in fighting against cancer, as it can be injected into tumors, radiating the cancer cell but not greatly effecting the rest of the body. -
Period: to
Fall of gold as currency
In 1933, FDR took the US off the gold standard and by 1971, the US currency had severed ties with gold in US currency. -
Period: to
Gold in technology (non-medicinal)
We used gold in astronauts space suits to protect them from harmful radiation in 1965, and still do so. It’s also used as a radiation shield for space vehicles such as rocket ships. In 1968, Intel created the first microchip used in a computer and it remains used for this same purpose in all phones, computers, and tablets.