Sardis, the capital of the Lydian Empire, a governmental center under the Roman Empire and a metropolis of Lydia in Late Roman and Byzantine times, is located in the middle of the Hermus Valley about sixty miles due east of Ismir. The Lydians were famous for their industrial arts including textiles and metalwork. The name of the last Lydian king, Croesus (560-546 B.C.), has become a synonym for vast wealth. Metallurgy of gold and silver were perfected by the Lydians who obtained quantities of these precious metals from the Pactolus River and nearby hills.
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Lawrence J. Majewski (1973) studied this question.