The History of Alchemy

Alchemists also believed that they could transform themselves into an enlightened sage. 

Alchemical theories also stem from the ancient Greeks. The Pythagorean philosopher Empedocles (490-430 b.c.e.) developed the 

Zosimos named the magical catalyst that was necessary for the transformation of metals the powder, which was translated into Arabic as aliksir, then into Latin as elixir, and finally became known as 

Like all alchemists, Zosimos followed his dreams and visions in his search for the basic material of the universe, and he experienced mysterious archetypal images of sacrifice and transformation. He conceived of the idea of the god-man, who fell into cosmic matter, from which he had to be freed by alchemy, a vision that is similar to the one expressed in the Hermetica. This mystical element of alchemy combined with the metallurgical recipes made for an exotic combination. Another early alchemical work, the Codex Marcianus, contains a translated text that asserts that it was written by Isis to her son Horus. In it she tells him the secret of making gold and silver, a secret she coerced from angels. 

The eighth century Arabian alchemist, Jabir ibn Hayyan (circa 721-815), known in medieval Europe as Geber, was a member of the mystical Islamic movement known as Sufism. Sufis incorporated many 

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Theophrastus. The poem of the philosopher Theophrastos Upon the sacred art a metrical translation with comments upon the history of alchemy by C. A. Browne. Sci Monthly 11 (Sep 1920) 193-214. 

Hopkins, Arthur John. The history of alchemy, with special reference to Egypt. Cairo Sci J11 (1923) 159-169. 

Brehm, Edmund. Roger Bacon s place in the history of alchemy. Ambix 23, no. 1 (Mar 1976) 53-58. rhttp //www, alchemvwebsite.com/rbacon.htmll. 

A reassessment of Bacon s role in the history of alchemy, which has been exaggerated by many modern scholars. The author concludes that Bacon s formulation of the relationship between alchemy and the elixir and Christian morality and salvation is an important link between the ancient soteriological tradition of alchemy and the first blossoming of the Art in Europe during the 14th century"... 

Stavish, Mark. The history of alchemy in America - Part 3. Alchemy J A, no. 2 (Autumn 2003). rhttp //www.alchemylab. com/AJ4-2htm1. 

Traces the history of alchemy and the activities of the alchemists who developed the foundations of modem science. A book for juveniles... 

This Book Is a Collection of Notable Papers Originally Published in Ambix, the Journal of The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry. The Journal First Appeared in 1937 and Was One of the Earliest Journals in the History of Science Published in the English Speaking World. This Collection Includes Papers by Julius Ruska, J.R. Partington, Lynn Thorndike, Walter Pagel, and Others"... 

Martels, Z.R.W.M. von, ed. Alchemy revisited proceedings of the International Conference on the History of Alchemy at the University of Groningen, 17-19 April 1989. Leiden, New York, Kobenhaven, Koln Brill, 1990. xii, 284 p. 

Mahdihassan, S. "Alchemy as a branch of medicine, its unsolved problems and unrecognized terms." In Essays in the history of alchemy, medicine and drugs, ed. S. Mahdihassan, 81-. Hamdard Foundation, 1982. 

This is a provisional project to produce a timeline of key events in the history of alchemy"... 

Brown, James Campbell and Alexander Watt. Catalogue of books illustrating the history of alchemy and early chemistry. Liverpool , 1890. lip. 

A select bibliography of recent work on the history of alchemy... 

Later in the history of Alchemy, the mercury-sulphur theory was extended by the addition of a third elementary principle, salt. As in the case of philosophical sulphur and mercury, by this term was not meant common salt (sodium chloride) or any of those... 

Having now considered the chief points in the theory of Physical Alchemy, we must turn our attention to the lives and individual teachings of the alchemists themselves. The first name which is found in the history of Alchemy is that of Hermes Trismegistos. We have already mentioned the high esteem in which the works ascribed to this personage... 

Furthermore, there is a series of reprints of original papers that in some cases originated well before 1985. They are usually unedited, often with the original pagination. Nevertheless, the Variorum series, in particular, provides a useful way to access and store such material. A collection by Allen Debus relates mainly to chemistry in its early phases40 and is a highly authoritative introduction to such matters. Debus has also recently edited a collection of classic articles on alchemy and early chemistry reprinted from Ambix, the Journal of the Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry.41 Another volume in the Variorum series relates to a later period and... 

A. G. Debus, ed., Alchemy and Early Modern Chemistry Papers from Ambix, The Society for the History of Alchemy and Chemistry, London, 2005. 

In recent years interest in the history of alchemy and early chemistry has increased, perhaps encouraged in part by a burgeoning popular interest in occult phenomena. Alchemy and astrology taken together were thought to provide access to the hidden structures and processes of nature.44 A conference on the history of alchemy... 

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