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The
Reality Behind The Myth
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Gold medals, gold stars, gold discs, ‘Going for gold’, golden
age, The Golden Goose, The Golden Fleece, The Golden Touch,
a golden handshake... Gold has always been perceived as superior
to Silver. However, Silver has a thousand and one different
applications from photography to seeding clouds furthermore,
in its natural state it is much rarer than gold. The answer
to why Silver holds an undeserved second place lies in political,
alchemic and gender-biased associations made by ancient civilizations
between the planets and gods. |
4000 years ago, at the start of an alchemic zeitgeist the Chaldaen
oracles of Mesopotamia mapped the heavens, creating a hierarchy
between the planets and their male and female deities. At the
same time, alchemists in Egypt introduced precious metals into
the concept representing gold in hieroglyphs as a circle, the
sign of perfection, and appropriating it with the Sun and its
singular ruling male deity: Amun. Silver was symbolized by a
half-circle, secondary to gold’s full circle, and represented
by the moon and a multitude of inferior female goddesses including
Isis.
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The
Egyptian alchemists decision to personify the Sun god Amun with
gold was not only due to the gender-biased perception that leaned
towards the male being seen as stronger, but also by an imposed
political maneuver on the part of the Egyptian treasury. Gold,
compared to Silver, was abundant in Egypt, therefore
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promoting
it as the No 1 metal strengthened the countries spending power
and political position in relation to surrounding countries.
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Later,
during the Olympian period of classical Greece, the connection
between all seven visible planets, their male and female deities
and the seven known metals was completed. Iron, used for the
fabrication of instruments of warfare, was associated with the
male god of war Mars, whereas pliant copper used in ornamentation
and jewelry was appropriated to Venus. Both these metals ancient
alchemic signs are still used today to denote male and female
gender.
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Silver’s symbolic second place to gold was finally compounded
by the links made between planets, gods and metals during the
Judeo-Christian period, with the establishment of the seven-day
week. The first day of the week was named ‘Dies Solis’, meaning
‘Sun's day’, becoming Sunday. The second day of the week was
named ‘Dies Luna’, meaning ‘Moon’s Day’, becoming Monday.
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From these associations alone it is possible to see why Silver
today is still perceived as secondary to gold. Delving deeper
into legends of gods, and kings and heroes combating dangerous
foe in search of treasure, it becomes apparent that Silver’s
misconception of value in relation to gold is connected to the
oldest combat of them all, the battle of the sexes.
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If so the ancient adage ‘Behind every great man stands a woman,
arms akimbo rolling her eyes’ has never been more applicable
to the relationship between Silver and gold, inextricably
linked for better or for worse since eternity…Silver, is as
good as gold!
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