"The history of gold is the history of human greed. And yet the history of gold is an attack of the devil on humanity. And we must pay tribute to the devil, he's in this fight won outright, because in the name of gold and performed the majority of the most bloody atrocities".
Alfred Dogman, German historian

Golden war

Archaeologists believe that the first middle Eastern gold mines had been around for 2000 years BC. They were sent as slaves, and the most "distinguished" criminals. Working conditions were such that practically nobody has been able to survive there for more than three years. To replace the lost'd bring the whole columns of new producers.
New gold deposits, but this hungry wealth rulers were few. The era of "Golden wars".

In 1887 BC the Egyptians attacked Nubia. Their production was huge. This is what Pharaoh Senusret III and expected, as the name itself - Nubia - translated from the ancient Egyptian language means "gold". Pharaoh Thutmose III's not just robbed, and seized Nubia. Now all the wealth of the Nubian mines went to the Egyptians.
But the Egyptians themselves conquerors took first gold. For example, Julius Caesar, entering into Egypt their troops ordered to Rob temples, in which, as he knew, there was a lot of gold jewelry.

The excrement of the gods

Discovered America Columbus was amazed accumulated here by gold reserves. First of all Europeans were surprised that the natives do not understand the value of this metal. The most ordinary food, a piece of wood or copper ingots valued by them is much higher.

And the natives could not understand the reaction of white people on gold, which could not be put on itself, nor eat. Because the Indians believed that gold is only the excrement of the gods or the sweat of the sun. And nothing more.

In the city of Cuzco, the Inca capital, was the Sun temple, the walls of which were decorated with precious metal. To get to this temple, I had to pass through a kind of garden, flowers and even insects which were made of pure gold. And this was not the only such facility in Incas.

The Indians with pleasure showed Europeans their temples. Noticing that they give special attention to gold, the owners them with the guests shared. But uninvited guests such gifts were not satisfied. Spanish historian Amparo Morales wrote about this time: "When the word "gold" Europeans came into a frenzy. There was no amount of this metal, which the Indians could stop them. What was more, the stronger possessed the Europeans greed".

Rivers of blood

In the beginning of XVI century, the Aztecs gave arrived to take him to Spain huge gold disc. But this gift was a pile of dry wood, thrown into the fire of human greed. Among Europeans, a rumor circulated that the drive is a pitiful drop in the ocean of gold religious shrines, which the Aztecs have time to hide. Such "meanness" the Spaniards they couldn't forgive. Began mass torture of the population. Or conquistadors were tortured, not those, or the Indians showed special hardness, but the mystery of the sacred treasures of the Spanish open failed.

Enraged the Spaniards began Aztec destroy... Especially fierce battle occurred during the storming of the capital of the Indian state of the city of Tenochtitlan. While many were killed conquistadors. When the city was taken, the Spaniards have filled its streets with rivers of blood. Cut everyone: men and women, old men and children. From three hundred thousand of the population living there are not more than 40 000 people, which turned into slaves.
In 1531, the conquistadors captured the leader of the Inca Atahualpa. His subjects were promised that if they would fill precious metal room, which contains the leader, the Atahualpa released. The Indians this requirement is fulfilled. But the Spaniards still killed noble prisoner.

Meanwhile almost all European cities appeared jewellery workshops. Every self-respecting man felt obliged to present to the beloved Golden jewel, and no self-respecting lady could not appear without such decorations in society.
The demand for gold grew. European bandits extracted it all the more.

A special project of the Queen of England

Gold should deliver to Europe. But it was very difficult. Ships with precious metal was waiting for the pirates.
From individual pirate ships was sometimes to fight or flee. Even more dangerous was squadron "neutral" countries under the guise of pirates robbed all that pass with gold ships. For example, the famous Francis Drake - a "project" English Queen Elizabeth aimed to replenish the Treasury. And he Drake, incidentally, was a captain of the Royal Navy.
But first to Rob Spanish ships began the French, who specially sent pirates in the Atlantic ocean and Caribbean sea.

Gold fever

In 1848 in California, riverside American river was found a few gold nuggets. This was the beginning of the famous gold rush. The profiteers and adventure flocked here from all over the globe. Gold here was really very much. Alas, enriched managed not all. On the way to California the people died from hunger and cold. Those who were lucky, returned home rich. But not everyone in California wanted in search of gold to swing a pick or shovel. It is much easier to get him with the pistol. Because to survive on the way home with a cargo of alluvial gold was even harder than it is to get.

Was no different from Californian and Australian gold rush of the mid 1850-ies.
But the cruelty and absolute lawlessness awarded the gold rush in 1898 in Alaska, around the Klondike river.
After that gold found in other parts of the world, but always its production was accompanied by bloody crimes.

For the first time in Russia

In 1745 in the Urals was looking for suitable for decoration of Trinity Lavra crystal. The peasant Yerofey Markov accidentally discovered during searches on the river Berezovka a piece of quartz with specks of gold. On this place and began the development of the first Russian gold mine.

Interestingly, in 1842 there, in the Urals, has found a gold nugget of such magnitude that it is still the largest ever found ever in our country. Weighed in this nugget 35 752 grams.
Gold is still one of the most coveted metals on the planet. After all, largely by its reserves and the financial welfare of the state.
By 2011, Russia ranks eighth in the world in terms of gold in the state reserve.