Where in the world was gold first discovered?

Gold was first discovered in Asia Minor around 6000 BC. One area where gold was found in Asia Minor was ancient Lydia, which is modern-day Turkey.

Not only is Lydia associated with the area where gold was first discovered, but it is also considered to be the location where some of the first gold coins were minted, nearly 2,500 years ago, according to the BBC.

Gold was used by the ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamian, Greeks and Romans for jewelry, coins and decorative items. Before these civilizations began, people in the stone age used gold to create jewelry. They learned that gold was not suitable for use in tools but was excellent as an ornamental medal.