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Sylvia Rose
Aug 28, 20245 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,...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 26, 20243 min read
Tricky Alchemy: Caput Mortuum Purple
Caput mortuum, Latin for as "dead head" is an ominous name for a valued color. As an iron oxide it's easy to make at home. As a purple...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 24, 20246 min read
Alchemy: Dyeing Stones to Look Like Gems
Although alchemy is often associated with gold-making, another essential skill of the alchemist is to color or dye stones like quartz...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 22, 20245 min read
Christine de Pizan: Medieval Writings
Christine de Pizan or Pisan (Cristina da Pizzano) c.1364 - 1430 is an Italian-born French court writer during the reign of King Charles...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 16, 20245 min read
Lapis Lazuli: Creating Ultramarine
Lapis lazuli or "blue stone" is prized for its depth and brilliance in paint as the color ultramarine. Before the 1800s, ultramarine...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 16, 20245 min read
Lapis Lazuli & Gold: Jungian Alchemy Symbolism
Alchemy symbolism is an ancient and fluctuating system of intertwined elements compounded over more than 2000 years. A cornerstone of...
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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 15, 20246 min read
Poison Pigments of Painters: Renaissance
During the Western Renaissance, new exciting artists' pigments appear in brilliant colors, vibrant scarlet red, deep rich blue,...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 14, 20245 min read
Alchemy: How to Make Emerald from Quartz
Alchemy has origins in ancient medicine, metallurgy and gemology. As metallurgy evolves to coloring metals the goal is to make base...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 12, 20245 min read
Vitriol in Alchemy: Caustic Compounds
Vitriols are among the most important alchemical ingredients. Green vitriol is the archaic term for all vitriols and now means ferrous...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 10, 20247 min read
How to Make Asem: Essential Alchemy
Asem is a stock metal mix in alchemy , usually prepared in quantity ahead of time and added to alchemical recipes as needed. Asem is...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 8, 20245 min read
Albertus Magnus: Alchemy, Arsenic, Astrology
Albertus Magnus ( c. 1200 - 1280) is a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist, and bishop, considered one of the greatest...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 5, 20245 min read
Writing in Letters of Gold: Ancient Alchemy
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...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 1, 20247 min read
Edward Kelley: Alchemy & the Angels
Edward Kelley (1555 - 1597) often wears a cap, because he has no ears. Cropping of the ears is a common punishment in Tudor England when...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 31, 20246 min read
Women of Alchemy: Anna Maria Zieglerin
Anna Maria Zieglerin (1550 - 1575) is a German alchemist accused of murder, attempted poisoning and intent to burglarize. At her trial,...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 29, 20243 min read
Writing Inside Eggs Italian Renaissance
Writing inside eggs is invented by Naples polymath Giambattista della Porta. In the 16th century he uses this method to smuggle messages...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 28, 20243 min read
Leucosis, the Pallor: Spiritual Alchemy
In spiritual alchemy , leucosis is the bloated white underbelly of albedo , the purification. Leucosis corresponds to psychic disease or...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 27, 20244 min read
Caterina Sforza: Renaissance Alchemy
Caterina Sforza (1463-1509) is a remarkable figure of the Italian Renaissance, leading a colorful and controversial life. Alchemy is...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 26, 20243 min read
Alkanet: Ancient Dye Magic & Medicine
Alkanet (Alkanna tinctoria) is a plant related to borage, also a popular medicinal herb. Alkanet is used in folk magic, alchemy, natural...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 25, 20243 min read
Medici & Alchemy: Italian Renaissance
The powerful Medici family of Italy, like many ruling courts, patronize and practice alchemy. In the Renaissance alchemy is a topic of...
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