Reasons Gold is so Popular

Reasons Gold is so Popular
Archaeological evidence shows that gold was used in certain parts of the world more than 4,000 years ago. All ancient civilizations considered gold to be a valuable metal and a status symbol recognized by both the nobles, kings, merchants, and peasants. What compelled people of the past to place so much value in gold?
Aesthetic Reasons
Gold is aesthetically pleasing and can be used for jewelry, ornaments and in decorating buildings. It is not only brilliant but also resistant to tarnish. In ancient civilizations, many kings and nobles were buried with gold items to symbolize their status as they cross over to the next world.
Gold is also malleable and easy to fashion into different types of ornaments and jewelry using simple tools. In the past, they were sometimes used to make coins due to their perceived value and the ease of shaping its form without the use of heat energy which was scarce in the past. Gold can often be obtained in its pure form. Although ancient people often added lead or copper when the metal was scarce.
Non Reactive
The structure of gold is that it makes it less reactive compared to other metals such as iron, and silver. The chemical structure of the metal prevents it from easily reacting with most of the elements such as water and oxygen. For this reason, gold can retain its properties for years without losing its intrinsic value. It has been used to build roofs of cathedrals that still exist today. Its nonreactive properties meant that jewelry remained intact for decades.
Rare Metal
Gold is easy to extract but it has always been a rare metal that is not so easy to obtain. Its unique characteristics made it ideal for use as a currency for trade.