I’m a chemist. I’m well aware of the usefulness of gold and silver. But all of those uses were relevant AFTER someone dug it up and refined it.

I know this is a “chicken or egg first” question but it does bring up what event or person was like, “you need this useless heavy brick of shiny caveman”.

Honestly the person linking precious metals to occult practices seems most feasible. Are there any mythological stories about this? I’m science not history.