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Sylvia Rose
Oct 19, 20245 min read
Alchemy & Heat: Decomposition of Horse Manure
Decomposing horse manure is essential in the alchemical process of digestion. A flask of substances is buried in dung. As if by magic the...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 19, 20244 min read
Digestion & Horse Manure: Alchemy Process
Digestion is the alchemical process of applying steady heat to a substance in a flask or container. Digestion can last hours or days. The...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 13, 20245 min read
Rot & Decay: Process of Organic Putrefaction
Decay is a fundamental aspect of life cycles. An essential and complex process in the natural world, decay involves breakdown of organic...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 5, 20244 min read
Vinegar Eels: Life Cycle & Survival in Vinegar
Vinegar eels ( Turbovecula aceti ) are a vital link in the complexity of microscopic life forms. These tiny creatures are only 1-2 mm...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 30, 20245 min read
Carbuncle: Red Stone of Magic & Medicine
Carbuncle has many meanings. Today it most often describes a deep red almandine garnet gemstone cut with a smooth, convex face or...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 28, 20245 min read
12 Renaissance Medicines & Treatments
In the Renaissance new healing treatments come to light, many based on ancient medicine. In the 17th and 18th century these include...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 12, 20243 min read
Galls & Gall Nuts: Black Ink, Dye, Medicine
Galls and gall nuts are growths on plants, particularly oak trees, used for a number of purposes throughout history. They form due to...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 5, 20244 min read
Bolus (Bole) of Mendes: Ancient Egyptian Medicine
Mendes is an important city of ancient Egypt, in the Nile Delta. The bolus of Mendes or Mendesian bole refers to a medical preparation...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 5, 20244 min read
Baphomet, the Goat of Mendes in History
Baphomet is a unity of opposites. The mysterious figure emerges from the mythology, esotericism, and dramatic history of medieval Europe....
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 26, 20244 min read
Olympiodorus of Thebes & His Parrot
Olympiodorus of Thebes (c. 380 - 425 AD) is a multifaceted figure. A Roman historian from Egypt, poet, philosopher, and diplomat, he...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 25, 20242 min read
Haruspices in History: The Gut Readers
In ancient Rome, the haruspex has a significant role in society as a trained specialist in the the practice of haruspicy. This form of...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 25, 20245 min read
Great Persecution Rome vs. Christianity
The Diocletianic or Great Persecution, a significant event in the history of the Roman Empire, marks a period of intense hostility toward...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 17, 20245 min read
Malaria: Roman Fever & Renaissance Plague
The malaria parasite P. falciparum has existed for up to100,000 years. Its numbers rise c. 8000 BCE with the Neolithic Revolution....
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 15, 20246 min read
Birds and Bird Symbolism in Alchemy
The Raven, Swan, Dove, Pelican, Peacock and Phoenix are among the symbolic birds of alchemy . Raven may be interchangeable with Crow,...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 8, 20243 min read
Sirius the Dog Star: Stellar Mythology
Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, is a symbol of heat, fire, and fever. The appearance of Sirius heralds the hottest days of the...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 16, 20242 min read
Alchemy Symbols: Tail of the Peacock
Cauda Pavonis (Tail of the Peacock) is a crucial phase in the intricate process of alchemy, symbolizing the transition from putrefaction...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 12, 20243 min read
Animal Archetype: Mysteries of the Unconscious
The Animal is an archetype described by Carl Jung as sublime. It's a clue to one's connection with primordial nature, based on instinct...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 10, 20245 min read
Agathodaemon: Snake God Alexandria
Agathodaemon (Agathos Daimon or noble spirit) is a household snake god and patron protector of sparkling Alexandria in ancient Egypt. He...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 15, 20245 min read
Aesculapian Snakes: Nature & Lore
The Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) is a species of nonvenomous snake native to Europe. Among the largest European snakes, the...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 13, 20245 min read
Cyrene: Huntress Queen of Greek Myth
Cyrene or Greek: Kyrene is a huntress heroine of Greek mythology. In legend, Apollo founds and names the Greek colony Cyrene in North...
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