| Silver jewellery is steeped in mythology by all of | | | | between gold, the first age, and Bronze, the third |
| the cultures which have used it in their cultures. | | | | age. The poem is partly based upon the |
| Part of many religious ceremonies, offerings and | | | | characteristics of the metals - gold – very |
| symbols, silver has been used for thousands of | | | | soft, silver – harder, bronze - harder still and |
| years. Much of the jewellery today is made out | | | | the mythology is still continued to this day in the |
| of sterling silver, due to the softness of silver, but | | | | Olympics. The gold medals are said to represent |
| it remains one of the most highly revered | | | | the age when men were among gods, the silver |
| materials. | | | | medal represent the age where youth lasted 100 |
| The name itself already provides us with some of | | | | years, and the bronze medal signifies the era of |
| the earliest impressions of the precious metal. | | | | heroes. |
| One of the earliest English terms for silver is | | | | Another source of the rich mythology of silver |
| "seolfor", which was used between 450 and 1100. | | | | comes from Mexico, one of the biggest |
| This term originates from the earlier | | | | producers of silver in the world. Around 500 years |
| proto-Germanic terms including "silubra", and | | | | ago, the Aztecs used silver in their jewellery and |
| possibly the earliest term for the metal comes | | | | dress. One of the reasons the Aztecs used silver |
| from the Akkadians, who it is believed coined the | | | | is the reflective nature of it. Mirrors found in |
| terms "sarapu", meaning refined silver, and | | | | Mexico which were made of highly polished |
| "sarapu", meaning to refine or smelt. This tells us | | | | minerals were symbols of portals to the spirit |
| that cultures, even thousands of years ago, had | | | | world. Indeed, the Aztec god Tezcatlipoca, |
| realised the beauty and versatility of the metal as | | | | translates as "Smoking Mirror" and shows the |
| well as the benefits that could be gleaned through | | | | importance of the material to the Aztecs. |
| smelting. The chemical symbol for silver, Ag, | | | | Silver is even also seen in the ancient chakra |
| comes from the Latin argentum, meaning "white" | | | | system - the system setting out seven sacred |
| or "shining". This could indicate that the ancients | | | | energy centres of the body. Silver is associated |
| likened it to the stars or held religious significance | | | | with the sixth chakra, also known as the |
| from its glow. | | | | "third-eye". In this sense, silver certainly |
| Many cultures have built up their own mythologies | | | | represents the concept of reflection, both |
| about silver due to its highly reflective, | | | | physically (as reflective substances are silvery), |
| characteristic shine. One of the first cultures to | | | | and as an internal exercise of self-analysis. The |
| use silver in their own mythology was the Ancient | | | | recent upsurge in popularity of practices such as |
| Greeks. Hesiod was a poet and is believed to | | | | chakra shows us that the mythology of the |
| have lived during the 8th century BC. In his poem | | | | properties of silver is still active, and that our |
| Works and Days, Hesiod set out the five ages of | | | | interest in the precious metal will live on for |
| man. The Silver Age is the second period, | | | | centuries to come. |