Gold has been associated
with the extremities of utmost evil and great sanctity
throughout history. In the Book of Exodus, the Golden Calf
is a symbol of idolatry and rebellion against God. In
Communist propaganda, the golden pocket watch and its
fastening golden chain were the characteristic accessories
of the class enemy, the bourgeois and the industrial
tycoons. Credit card companies associate their product with
wealth by naming and coloring their top-of-the-range cards
“gold;” although, in an attempt to out-do each other,
platinum (and the even-more-elite black card) has now
overtaken gold.
On the other hand in the Book of Genesis, Abraham was said
to be rich in gold and silver, and Moses was instructed to
cover the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant with pure
gold. Eminent orators such as John Chrysostom were said to
have a “mouth of gold with a silver tongue.” Gold is
associated with notable anniversaries, particularly in a
50-year cycle, such as a golden wedding anniversary, golden
jubilee, etc.
Great human achievements are frequently rewarded with gold,
in the form of medals and decorations. Winners of races and
prizes are usually awarded the gold medal (such as the
Olympic Games and the Nobel Prize), while many award statues
are depicted in gold (such as the Academy Awards, the Golden
Globe Awards the Emmy Awards, the Palme d'Or, and the
British Academy Film Awards).
Medieval kings were inaugurated under the signs of sacred
oil and a golden crown, the latter symbolizing the eternal
shining light of heaven and thus a Christian king's divinely
inspired authority. Wedding rings are traditionally made of
gold; since it is long-lasting and unaffected by the passage
of time, it is considered a suitable material for everyday
wear as well as a metaphor for the relationship. In Orthodox
Christianity, the wedded couple is adorned with a golden
crown during the ceremony, an amalgamation of symbolic
rites.
The symbolic value of gold varies greatly around the world,
even within geographic regions. For example, gold is quite
common in Turkey but considered a most valuable gift in
Sicily.This DVD takes you
through how gold is mined from the mountains. See the
refining and purification process. This DVD reviews a
gold mining operation in South Dakota in 1940 and provides a
snapshot of the 1933 Gold Rush. Great collection for
scholars, teachers, students, and history buffs alike.
The DVD comes with a fully interactive menu and contains the
films as follows: |
City Gold Rush Starts
1933
Brief newsreel story from the early
30s about gold being struck on a farm outside of Cincinnati.
This, as you can imagine, causes a local epidemic of gold
fever, which is reported breezily by the narrator. A slice
of life from the desperate days of the Depression.
Sound, B&W, runs 0:29
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