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Gold-digging ant

The Indian Gold Hunters, illustration of giant ants chasing Indian gold-hunters, based on the description by Herodotus in Book Three of his Histories
In this sheet of the Mercator 1569 world map, the text Formicae hic aurum effodientes homines sunt ("Here there are men who unearth the gold of ants.") is located at 38°N 127°E / 38°N 127°E / 38; 127 between Çardand and Mien.

The gold-digging ant is a mythical insect described in classical and medieval bestiaries. They were dog- or fox-sized ants that dug up gold in sandy areas. Some versions of the Physiologus said they came from Ethiopia, while Herodotus claimed they were located in India.[1]

  1. ^ "Ant". The Medieval Bestiary. Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
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