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Aug 24, 2023 · Alchemy really took off in Greco-Roman Egypt from the 1st to 7th century CE and was continued by practitioners in the Byzantine Empire and the Arab world.There was some cross-cultural exchange of ideas; the notion of an elixir of life, for example, "appears to have first entered the Islamic world from China, eventually passing to the West" (Burns, 12).
- Mark Cartwright
- Alchemy means the pursuit of certain chemical experiments to transform base metals into gold, increase the efficiency of known medicines, and find...
- Although alchemy is known for the pursuit of a means to turn base metals into gold, it did have a spiritual side when it became an allegory or perh...
- The study of alchemy goes back to antiquity and involves finding a chemical way to change base metals into gold. Alchemists believed this could be...
Alchemy (from the Arabic word al-kīmīā, الكیمیاء) is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, a philosophical and protoscientific tradition that was historically practised in China, India, the Muslim world, and Europe. [1]
Unraveling the History of Alchemy: A Comprehensive Guide Alchemy, the ancient practice of transforming base metals into gold, has captivated human imagination for centuries. But there's so much more to alchemy than just the quest for gold. Let's dive into the rich history of alchemy, from its mysti...
- Overview
- Nature and significance
Alchemy was a form of speculative thought that, among other aims, tried to transform base metals such as lead or copper into silver or gold. It also sought to discover cures for diseases and a way of extending life.
What are the metals of alchemy?
Gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, and tin are the metals of alchemy. Mercury and sulfur were also crucial to alchemy.
Which is the oldest known Chinese text on alchemy?
The oldest known Chinese alchemical treatise is the Chou-i ts’an t’ung ch’i (“Commentary on the I Ching”). It is mainly an apocryphal interpretation of the I Ching, an ancient classic, relating alchemy to the mystical mathematics of the 64 hexagrams (six-line figures used for divination).
alchemy, a form of speculative thought that, among other aims, tried to transform base metals such as lead or copper into silver or gold and to discover a cure for disease and a way of extending life.
That both astrology and alchemy may be regarded as fundamental aspects of thought is indicated by their apparent universality. It is notable, however, that the evidence is not equally substantial in all times and places. Evidence from ancient Middle America (Aztecs, Mayans) is still almost nonexistent; evidence from India is tenuous and from ancient China, Greece, and Islamic lands is only relatively more plentiful. A single manuscript of some 80,000 words is the principal source for the history of Greek alchemy. Chinese alchemy is largely recorded in about 100 “books” that are part of the Taoist canon. Neither Indian nor Islamic alchemy has ever been collected, and scholars are thus dependent for their knowledge of the subject on occasional allusions in works of natural philosophy and medicine, plus a few specifically alchemical works.
Nor is it really clear what alchemy was (or is). The word is a European one, derived from Arabic, but the origin of the root word, chem, is uncertain. Words similar to it have been found in most ancient languages, with different meanings, but conceivably somehow related to alchemy. In fact, the Greeks, Chinese, and Indians usually referred to what Westerners call alchemy as “The Art,” or by terms denoting change or transmutation.
Definition. Alchemy is an ancient practice aimed at recreating precious substances using recipes and transformative materials such as the philosopher's stone.
- Mark Cartwright
- Publishing Director
Alchemy was practiced in much of the ancient world, from China and India to Greece. It migrated to Egypt during the Hellenistic period and was later revived in 12th-century Europe through translations of Arabic texts into Latin.
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What is alchemy & how does it work?
Jan 15, 2023 · Arabic scholars brought alchemy into medieval Europe, where it became part of the scholastic academic mainstream of the time. Traditionally the main goals of the alchemists were to transform other substances, particularly metals, into gold and to create the philosopher’s stone, which was said to grant eternal youth.
