Scammony ( Convolvulus scammonia ) is a powerful purgative, used to treat constipation and other health problems. It's taken as resin,...

Lodestones are naturally magnetized. Primarily composed of iron oxide, they provide a key to understanding navigation and the Earth's...

The Lighthouse of Alexandria or Pharos Lighthouse is a beacon for seafarers and a brilliant display of power, wealth and technology in...

Yeast is a vital microorganism in wine making. From ancient fermentation to modern advancements, yeast influences taste, texture and...

Pan is the wild rustic god of shepherds, flocks and music. Originating in Arcadia, Greece, Pan embodies the essence of wilderness. He...

Kakia in Greek mythology represents vice and moral corruption. Her name directly translates to wickedness. She relates to darker aspects...

Galen of Pergamon (c. 129 - 216 AD) is well known in the history of medicine. His extensive writings and theories prevail for over 2000...

Aristotle (384 - 322 BCE) is a Greek philosopher. His contributions span multiple disciplines such as biology, psychology, physics,...

The kerotakis (Greek: κυροτακίς) is an ancient alchemical apparatus of multiple purposes, primarily heating substances and collecting...

Cleopatra the alchemist is active in Alexandria, Egypt c. 300 AD. She may be contemporary to Zosimos , who mentions her in his writings....

Precious stones are made by economic supply and demand. First, however, they're formed by fire and pressure for millions of years. Prized...

Acetic acid is a compound with many uses. With chemical formula CH₃COOH, this colorless liquid has a sharp pungent smell and sour taste....

Barbara von Zweibrücken-Neuburg (1559 - 1618) is described as a striking personality. Intelligent, charismatic and formidable of will,...

Earth of Chios is a white to gray powdery mineral soil or fine grained clay found on the Greek island of Chios. Earth of Chios or Chian...

The alembic is an essential alchemical tool. It functions like a retort, which in lead, iron or copper form has been used through...

Iosis and ios relate to the final stage of the the alchemical process, or rubedo in Latin. It can be called the reddening or purpling....

The Alexandrian alchemists, as philosophers of nature steeped in Greco-Egyptian thinking, define the properties of metals as living...

In ancient philosophical thought, Democritus is a visionary whose ideas continue to illuminate minds. Born in 460 BCE in Abdera, Greece,...

Testing metals is a precise and varied process in the ancient world. It's a crucial skill in ensuring fair trade and preventing fraud....

Smelting, the art of extracting metal from its ore through heating and extraction, has been a part of human civilization since c. 6000...