"I bet most of those alchemist people would eat gold."
-Yes they probably did. It was considered the elixir of the gods. The egyptians liked it too. What did they know..
Some cool reading, since we are a bit geometric these days;
"I believe the reason a pyramid can dissolve gold is probably related to the fact that God made gold atoms to arrange themselves in a pyramidal form when they are in a metallic state. Other geometries probably effect their corresponding crystalline structures similarly. I have some theories about this and how these sorts of transmutations are possible, but that will have to wait until my next paper. Also, it might be that cone shapes work as well or better than pyramid shapes. It is also possible (if not likely) that the 45 degree side angle is not the optimal. Experiments need to be done to determine the most efficient shape." http://www.subtleenergies.com/ormus/tw/pyramidgold.htm