The Field Museum is as Good as Glittering 'Gold'
One of the rarest and most prized minerals on earth, gold has always held a fascination for mankind -- from legendary tribes of antiquity to modern-day jewelry artisans. Simply titled "Gold," the exhibit at Chicago's Field Museum explores the natural beauty, scientific value and symbolic power of gold.
Organized by the American Museum of Natural History, this massive exhibit features enormous gold nuggets, bullion, coins from shipwrecked treasure, crystallized gold, bars and amazing jewelry both modern and ancient.
Guests can get the feel of joining a mining gold rush, and watch gold from its natural state being formed into finely-wrought jewelry. They can also walk through a room covered totally in gold, and even learn the value of their weight in gold.
Human beings have done everything imaginable to obtain gold: searched the land, stripped the face off the earth, stolen and even killed for it. Manned space missions use it on their complicated journeys around the globe, while gold chalices and other artifacts are used in religious ceremonies.
All told, more than 550 gold items are on display in the exhibit, including the largest nugget found in the Western hemisphere; early pre-Columbian jewelry and religious artifacts; Spanish doubloons retrieved from sunken galleons during the days of piracy on the high seas; ancient Anatolian coins, the first known use of gold as a minted currency; and even the Chicago White Sox's 2005 World Series Championship trophy.
The exhibit is divided into six sections:
Aurum Naturae -- Latin for "natural gold," the first section introduces visitors to the basics of the geology and mineralogy of gold. Crystallized gold and nuggets come in all shapes and sizes, including the famous "The Boot of Cortez."
Unique Properties -- Don't just look, touch! Patrons are encouraged to get a hands-on experience in this gallery the demonstrates the unique characteristics of gold, which is used in the medical, dental and electronic industries. You even can look through the gold-coated visor of a replica Apollo 11 helmet!
The Golden Age -- This section focuses on the decorative uses of gold over the ages. View 13th-century earrings from Iran, ancient African pendants, sword guards from 19th-century Japan, a brooch designed by Paloma Picasso and silent film star Mary Pickford's Cartier vanity box.
Lost and Found -- Sunken gold recovered from deep beneath the ocean's surface dominates this section. These reclaimed golden treasures underline the commercial history of gold, and its transition from decorative object to currency.
The Gold Standard -- Over the years, cultures have stamped every image imaginable on golden coins: gods, monsters, monarchs, etc. In this gallery, visitors will see coins bearing the image of Alexander the Great and priceless $20 American double eagles.
Golden Achievements -- In a fitting finale, the last section looks at awards and other symbols of success wrought from gold. The list includes a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, GRAMMY awards, Kentucky Derby Trophy and Olympic medals -- many of them from Chicago's own sports icons.
Posted on Jan 25, 2011 by Christopher Lloyd
