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3 Islamic Alchemists & the House of Wisdom
Islamic alchemists and practitioners bridge the gap between the once-vibrant Alexandrian tradition and the friars of alchemy in medieval...

Sylvia Rose
Sep 7, 20245 min read


Ancient Traders & Buyers: Art of Testing Metals
Testing metals is a precise and varied process in the ancient world. It's a crucial skill in ensuring fair trade and preventing fraud....

Sylvia Rose
Sep 6, 20243 min read


Alchemy Processes Invented by Islamic Alchemists
After the 642 AD Islamic conquest of Egypt, the center of alchemy moves to Muslim lands. Medieval Arab alchemists study and expand upon...

Sylvia Rose
Sep 2, 20245 min read


Planetary Name Symbolism in Ancient Astrology
The practice of naming planets comes from the work of the Babylonians. The concept passes into the Greek, and from there, Romans begin...

Sylvia Rose
Aug 31, 20243 min read


Difference Between Astrology & Astronomy in the Ancient World
Astrology and astronomy blur boundaries in the ancient world. Similar at a glance, the two serve different needs in society and progress....

Sylvia Rose
Aug 31, 20243 min read


Asphodel: Ancient Dye & Medicine Plants
Among the showy flowering plants, perennial Asphodelus is an elegant and adaptable beauty. A genus of the Asphodelaceae or aloe family,...

Sylvia Rose
Aug 28, 20245 min read


Renaissance Wars: Venice vs. Ottoman
The Ottoman-Venetian Wars are seven major conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice from the late 14th to the 18th...

Sylvia Rose
Aug 27, 20247 min read


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

Sylvia Rose
Aug 15, 20244 min read


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

Sylvia Rose
Aug 7, 20243 min read


Medieval Astrology of Islam
Medieval Islamic astrology and astronomy begin in traditions of the Hellenistic and Roman eras. Early astronomy observes seasonal changes...

Sylvia Rose
Aug 6, 20243 min read


Islamic Alchemy: Abu Bakr al-Razi
Abū Bakr al-Rāzī c. 864 - 930 AD is a Persian alchemist, philosopher and physician during the Islamic Golden Age . One of the most...

Sylvia Rose
Jul 24, 20244 min read


Calcination Process: Alchemy at High Heat
Calcination is a crucial process in sciences such as metallurgy and chemistry. A process of ancient alchemists, it's used allegorically...

Sylvia Rose
Jul 23, 20244 min read


Stephanus of Alexandria: the Last Intellectual
Stephanus of Alexandria (c. 580 - 640 AD) is a Christian philosopher bringing Alexandrian thought to Byzantine society. Despite moving to...

Sylvia Rose
Jul 21, 20243 min read


Azoth: Divine Substance of Alchemy
Azoth emerges from the mystical world of alchemy. It represents a universal panacea or potent solvent sought by alchemists for...

Sylvia Rose
Jul 19, 20243 min read


Pseudo-Geber: Medieval Alchemy
Pseudo-Geber is a mysterious figure or collective identity linked to a corpus of alchemy texts from the late Middle Ages. The writings...

Sylvia Rose
Jul 19, 20243 min read


Jabir ibn Hayyan: Alchemy of Islam
Jabir ibn Hayyan is a medieval Islamic figure. Alchemy, magic, philosophy and religion come together in a vast corpus of writings. As his...

Sylvia Rose
Jul 19, 20243 min read


Spiritual Alchemy: Alchemical History
Spiritual Alchemy uses the concepts of alchemy combined with analytical psychology to improve well-being, find one's inner Philosopher's...

Sylvia Rose
Jun 27, 20244 min read


Alchemy of Islam: Medieval Golden Age
Islamic alchemy gives a glimpse of a world where science and mysticism intertwine and the pursuit of knowledge transcends boundaries. In...

Sylvia Rose
Jun 24, 20246 min read


Yumuktepe: Neolithic on the Med
Yumuktepe (Yümüktepe Höyük) is a Neolithic mound site active from c. 6300 BCE to Byzantine times. On the turquoise Turkish Mediterranean,...

Sylvia Rose
Jun 2, 20245 min read


Karaca Dağ Volcano: Mountain of Life
Karaca Dağ (Karacadağ, Karaca Dag) is a primeval shield volcano in today's SE Turkey. Migrating birds disperse countless seeds for...

Sylvia Rose
Jun 1, 20244 min read
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