Golden Fleece: An Ancient Sheep
By Sean Gilmore
Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics, Vol.3 (2014)
Abstract: Of the many infeasible creatures and relics of ancient Greek mythos, the Golden Fleece from Jason and the Argonauts has had much attention from historians as to what it represented in terms of politics, technology and religion. This paper will explore the scientific basis to the possibilities of the existence of a gold fleeced ram, specifically addressing the biological and geochemical aspects to this multidisciplinary problem, and follows previous research carried out by this group regarding the physical and biophysical aspects.
Introduction: Written in the 3rd century BC, Argonautica, by Apollonius Rhodius, is one of the oldest and most complete accounts of Jason and the Argonauts, a tale that is one of the most famous and foundational in Greek classical history. The agonist of Argonautica, one Jason of Iolcos, quests across uncharted seas and overcomes impossible obstacles in order to obtain a legendary relic, with promise of his rightful crown. This relic, the fleece of a ram with wool of gold, can almost be described as unassuming among the many fanciful creatures and relics in the tales of ancient Greece. It is the fleece’s representation of power, rather than any monetary value, which is at the heart of Jason’s quest. However, a fleece of gold must have once belonged to a creature capable of creating its fleece as a product of gold rather than the usual keratin.
In slightly more recent history, in 1953, the Russian chemist Vinogradov published an extensive work concluding that the accumulation of gold by organisms was entirely random and that there was no evidence of auriferous animals in any part of the world. However, if such a creature were to exist, it would raise a number of interesting issues regarding physical, geochemical, biochemical, and evolutionary feasibility.
Click here to read this article from the University of Leicester
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Golden Fleece: An Ancient Sheep
By Sean Gilmore
Journal of Interdisciplinary Science Topics, Vol.3 (2014)
Abstract: Of the many infeasible creatures and relics of ancient Greek mythos, the Golden Fleece from Jason and the Argonauts has had much attention from historians as to what it represented in terms of politics, technology and religion. This paper will explore the scientific basis to the possibilities of the existence of a gold fleeced ram, specifically addressing the biological and geochemical aspects to this multidisciplinary problem, and follows previous research carried out by this group regarding the physical and biophysical aspects.
Introduction: Written in the 3rd century BC, Argonautica, by Apollonius Rhodius, is one of the oldest and most complete accounts of Jason and the Argonauts, a tale that is one of the most famous and foundational in Greek classical history. The agonist of Argonautica, one Jason of Iolcos, quests across uncharted seas and overcomes impossible obstacles in order to obtain a legendary relic, with promise of his rightful crown. This relic, the fleece of a ram with wool of gold, can almost be described as unassuming among the many fanciful creatures and relics in the tales of ancient Greece. It is the fleece’s representation of power, rather than any monetary value, which is at the heart of Jason’s quest. However, a fleece of gold must have once belonged to a creature capable of creating its fleece as a product of gold rather than the usual keratin.
Click here to read this article from the University of Leicester
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