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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 16559, member: 112&quot;]While the Native Americans did not refine metal for use as coinage or to make weapons - they did use it for jewelry. They had no problem at all making jewelry out silver and gold. But most of the gold &amp; silver mines first found in the American west had been worked for centuries by the Indians. First the Spanish took over the mines - and when they left the white man did. Some of these mines are still being worked today after nearly 600 yrs. And lord knows for how long prior to that.</p><p><br /></p><p>The Aztecs on the other hand used gold for many purposes. Their skill as goldsmiths was quite advanced. One of the things they did to try and persuade Cortez to leave them in peace was to fill an entire room - a good sized room - floor to ceiling with gold. They managed to do this in one day. Rather obviously this had an undesirable effect on the Spaniards. But the Aztecs didn&#039;t understand - to them quetzal feathers were valuable. Gold was just pretty to look at and easy to work to make art pieces ceremonial pieces.</p><p><br /></p><p>Even the older cultures like the Olmecs and Toltecs used silver and gold but to a lesser degree than the Aztecs.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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