Emerald-set gold rosary. 17th century, Colombia Goldsmithing in Colombia is believed to date from ab

Emerald-set gold rosary. 17th century, Colombia

Goldsmithing in Colombia is believed to date from about 800 B.C. and is the source for some of its greatest artwork. For the pre-Hispanic cultures of present-day Colombia, gold held no monetary value; it was a gift from the Sun and held a deep symbolic meaning.  Gold’s physical and chemical properties inspired the creation of expertly crafted figures of spirits, animals and humans that communicated this culture’s understanding and philosophy of the universe and all that existed within it.