The X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) of the AuL III edge in gold metal and in its two compounds AuCN and AuCl 3 have been recorded. The observed chemical shifts of the edge and the fine structure peaks in the compounds are discussed. It is observed that the energy shifts 'E of the AuL III due to chemical effects in aurous cyanide (AuCN) and auric chloride (AuCl 3 ) with respect to the pure Au edge is 2.9 eV in AuCN and 0.7eV in AuCl 3 . The edge widths in AuCN and AuCl 3 are found to be almost the same for both the compounds, presumably because electronegativities of CN and Cl are not very different. The observed fine structure peaks of the discontinuities of AuCN and AuCl 3 are displaced progressively away from the main edge.