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Gold Leaf across the World - Eygpt
- by Sam Wozniak
🏺 Ancient Egyptian Gold Leaf
Ancient Egypt was famous for gold craftsmanship — including gold leaf (very thin sheets of hammered gold).
Why Egyptians loved gold:
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Gold symbolised eternity, divinity, and the sun god Ra.
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It never tarnishes → seen as the flesh of the gods.
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Used heavily in royal tombs, temples, jewellery, statues, and coffins.
Examples:
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The famous Tutankhamun death mask is covered in gold.
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Pharaoh sarcophagi and temple decorations often used gilding.
✨ How Ancient Egyptians Made Gold Leaf
Typical process (similar to today):
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Gold melted and cast into thin strips.
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Hammered repeatedly between layers of leather/papyrus.
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Cut into extremely thin sheets.
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Applied with adhesive or burnished onto surfaces.
Some sheets were microns thin — remarkably advanced technology.
🇪🇬 Gold Leaf in Modern Egypt
Today gold leaf is still used in Egypt for:
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Islamic architecture & calligraphy
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Decorative crafts and souvenirs
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Restoration of ancient monuments
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Luxury art and furniture
📚 Quick Facts
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Egypt was one of the largest ancient gold producers (Nubian mines).
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Gold leaf thickness can be ~0.1 microns.
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Symbolism: immortality, power, and divine connection.
- Posted in:
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- 24ct sheets
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- Gilding Supplies
- Glue for Gold Leaf
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- gold leaf art
- gold leaf colour chart
- gold leaf repair
- Gold Leaf Transfer
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- uses of gold leaf
