Silver, a shiny, white metal, is thought to have been used for the first time around 4000 BC. The first example of the use of silver, which has survived from ancient times, is a silver ring. This ring found in Beycesultan (Denizli) is from the Copper Age (Chalcolithic Age).

The Mildenhall treasure, now in the British Museum in London, is the oldest known silver treasure. Dating from the 4th century AD, this treasure was preserved intact in the sandy soils of Suffolk and was found in the 1940s.