Artemisia annua or sweet wormwood appears in traditional Chinese medicine texts of Ge Hong ( 283 - 364 AD) as an early remedy to treat...

Lapis lazuli or "blue stone" is prized for its depth and brilliance in paint as the color ultramarine. Before the 1800s, ultramarine...

Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici, also known as Cosimo the Elder, is a leading figure in the rise of Florence as the Italian Renaissance...

Alchemy symbolism is an ancient and fluctuating system of intertwined elements compounded over more than 2000 years. A cornerstone of...

Gnosticism and Gnostic principles emerge in the first century AD, though they're believed to have deeper roots. Many different shades of...

Gnosticism emerges in the 1st century AD as a philosophical and religious movement seeking a unique perspective on spiritual...

Isaac Newton, English physicist and mathematician, has a deep interest in the occult. He writes of chronology, biblical interpretation...

Rosaceum or rosaceum oil is used in alchemical recipes for coloring gold or gems, and also has medicinal properties found in texts such...

Pedanius Dioscorides is a surgeon in the army of Emperor Nero . His knowledge of surgery and other medical skills suggests study in...

Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40 - 90 AD) is a Greek physician known as the father of pharmacognosy. Pharmacologist, botanist and prolific...

Vitriols are among the most important alchemical ingredients. Green vitriol is the archaic term for all vitriols and now means ferrous...

The Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross is a significant 18th century German Rosicrucian organization involved with mysticism and hidden...

Christian Rosenkreuz is the legendary founder of the Rosicrucians (Order of the Rose Cross). Three writings attributed to him appear in...

Tin purification is important to various alchemical practices, and a fundamental step in many recipes and formulas. In alchemy purified...

As humanity evolves, so does study of astrology. Settlement, and the advent of writing c. 3200 BCE, lead to concise development of...

The zodiac, a celestial coordinate system divided into twelve signs, has a rich history dating back to the Roman era, where it's heavily...

Babylonians are among the earliest astrologers. An ancient practice, astrology correlations the movements or habits of celestial bodies...

Astrology and astronomy give insights into seasonal changes and human nature. In Western tradition, astronomy is based on observance of...

Celandine (Chelidonium majus) is a popular medicinal plant in the ancient world, also appearing in gold-making recipes of alchemists. Use...

Want to write in letters of gold? These ten alchemy recipes are from the Leyden Papyrus c. 250 AD. None are recommended unless there's a...