Sylvia Rose
Sodium Silicate: Alchemy of Water Glass
Sodium silicate or "water glass" or liquid glass, originates in ancient practices. A chemical compound, sodium silicate is composed of...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 176 min read
Paints of the Artist's Palette in Renaissance Europe
Artists of Renaissance Europe cultivate palettes rich in colors sourced from elements both enchanting and lethal. The Renaissance is...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 116 min read
Eight Dye Plants & Natural Dyes in History
From vibrant reds extracted from roots to the deep blues synthesized from leaves, plants have abundant natural dyes and also health...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 36 min read
Cleopatra the Divine & the Book of Comarius
Cleopatra the alchemist is active in Alexandria, Egypt c. 300 AD. She may be contemporary to Zosimos , who mentions her in his writings....
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 299 min read
Seven Precious Stones of the Ancient World
Precious stones are made by economic supply and demand. First, however, they're formed by fire and pressure for millions of years. Prized...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 167 min read
The Pseudos: Underground Alchemy Writers
Who said that? Pseudos are writers whose work is falsely attributed to a major figure. The real writer can be one or more. Many share...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 134 min read
Zinc (Zn): Essential Metal in Alchemy & Medicine
Zinc (Zn) is an essential metal of life and one of the four components in the Tetrasomia of Maria in alchemy. The 30th element on the...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 125 min read
Living Metals & Genders in Ancient Alchemy
The Alexandrian alchemists, as philosophers of nature steeped in Greco-Egyptian thinking, define the properties of metals as living...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 63 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....
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 64 min read
Metal Smelting & Metallurgy in the Ancient World
Smelting, the art of extracting metal from its ore through heating and extraction, has been a part of human civilization since c. 6000...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 315 min read
Natural Purple Dyes: Ancient & Medieval
Dyers, coloring professionals, metal workers and gemologists seek vibrant colors and tones since early civilization. The first use of...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 313 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...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 313 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....
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 294 min read
How to Extract Red from Hematite: A Step-by-Step Guide
Hematite, an iron oxide mineral with the chemical formula Fe2O3, is prevalent around the world. Known for metallic luster and red earth...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 293 min read
Caput Mortuum: Dead Head Purple Pigment
Caput mortuum (Latin "dead head") is a purple hematite iron oxide pigment, used in oil paints and dyes. Due to cultural significance of...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 297 min read
Question of Alchemy in Ancient Rome
Alchemy, a fusion of science, philosophy and mysticism, emerges in practice from the 1st century AD. Among the power civilizations of...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 284 min read
Famous Women of Ancient Rome
Women are second class citizens in ancient Rome, but a few bright stars shine through this mutable civilization. Renowned for art,...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 284 min read
Status & Rights of Women in Imperial Rome
The status and rights of women in ancient Rome are complex and evolve significantly over time. This societal structure is influenced by...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 285 min read
Roman Empire: Situation 300 AD
In 300 AD, the Roman Empire is falling apart. Under the rule of Emperor Diocletian, who wants to restore the grandeur of Rome, the empire...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 277 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...
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