Silver was used to fashion beads as early as the Predynastic Period (ca. 4400–3100 B.C.) and remained important for personal ornaments and cult objects in ancien Egypt .
Temple inscriptions suggest that for much of Egypt’s history, silver was valued more highly than gold.
Because of its pale color, the Egyptians associated silver with the moon (as opposed to the golden sun), ritual purity, and the bones of the gods (coupled with their golden flesh). Although Thoth was the major lunar deity, silver was not particularly favored for his images. On the other hand, more silver statuettes representing Nefertem than any other deity are known, as well as numerous amulets.