Alchemy in Egypt goes beyond transmutation of base metals into noble gold or silver. In the civilizations of Egypt, Arabia, India, China...

Chinese alchemical elixir poisoning in ancient China is generally a death of the rich. Poisoning occurs over time or swiftly, caused by...

Alum is an ingredient in processes such as dyeing fabric, tanning hides and water purification. Alum is ubiquitous in ancient and...

Tanning hides is practiced in the ancient world since c. 7000 BCE, in the Indus Valley site of Mehgarh. By 2500 BCE, Sumerians of...

Verdigris is the green rust or patina on copper, created as the metal reacts with oxygen in the environment. Copper corrodes green to...

Woad ( Isatis tinctoria ) is a plant yielding a blue pigment used in dyes, paint and medicine. A member of the mustard family, it's also...

Cinnamon birds appear in folklore of Eurasia shortly after Arab merchants begin trading with ancient lands to the north. Cinnamon enjoys...

Spiritual alchemy uses the principles of alchemy to achieve harmony and fulfillment in life. Alchemy incorporates shapes, symbols,...

Early prehistoric use of gold is for religious purposes, ornament or decor. In 1500 BCE, Thutmose of Egypt decrees gold to be used for...

Spiritual alchemy uses the power of nature, psychology and metaphysical processes of alchemy to transcend the limitations of the mortal...

The squared circle, snake, dragon or wyrm biting its tail, and the alchemical lion appear as predominant signs in alchemy and literature....

Phosphorus is the first element not known since ancient times. This glowing substance is discovered by German alchemist Hennig Brand in...

The Philosopher's Stone (Latin: lapis philosophorum ) conjures elements of primal lore and eternal powers. In history and legend, the...

Spiritual alchemy is a set of methods using mental processes, colors, phases, archetypes, integration, practical application and...

Abundant in native form, sulfur (sulphur) is a mysterious and essential component of natural life. All living things contain sulfur. It...

Arsenic (As) has been called the King of Poisons and the Poison of Kings. This silvery metalloid appears abundantly in the Earth and...

Silver is a precious and magical metal. In common culture silver appears before 5000 BCE. One of the seven metals of antiquity , silver...

Mary the Jewess, Maria the Jewess or Maria Prophetissa is considered the world's first alchemist. Working in Alexandria, Egypt, she's...

Cleopatra the Alchemist is an intriguing figure in the hazy history of science and magic. She works and writes in the 3rd or 4th...

Alchemy rises from inquiring minds . Golden Ages of alchemy appear in Greco-Roman Alexandria , medieval Islam and the Renaissance ....