There’s a new exhibit in town at The Field Museum. This exhibit, arranged by the American Museum of Natural History, New York and the Huston Museum of Natural Science, Chicago, focuses on the sheer allure of this very precious metal. It is also the last stop on the exhibition’s tour.

“Gold” looks at the metal’s history as a symbol of power, mystery, and wealth while placing it in a wider historical context, according to the museum. It’s a fascinating journey.

From Prehistory to the Gold Rush

As the first metal worked by mankind, gold is inextricably tied to the rise and fall of prehistoric societies. Its ownership could make or break a community and it has been a part of human mythology almost as long as it has been a part of human society.

This is especially true in our society and the exhibit takes a close look at “how the fever for gold really spurred the development of our country.” To that end, the exhibit displays the largest gold bar ever found in the California Gold Rush. It’s the 100 pound Eureka bar. There are also gold bars that were used to finance wars and pay debts.

From Bars to Jewelry to Investments

The collection includes gold bars of many different shapes as well as exotic and beautiful items from around the world. Among the most notable are “a pendant from Ghana in the shape of a mask, a gilded Buddha from Tibet, a rare Peruvian vase, a Japanese sword sheath and beautiful Persian earrings.”

The collection as whole is designed to lead visitors from the geological process that creates this precious metal through its long history shaping and influencing, and in turn being influenced by human society. It’s a relationship that carries on into the current socioeconomic situation, as gold has reached some of its highest prices in the last year alone. No one knows what the future may hold for our relationship with this bewitching metal.