The alchemy of elixirs goes back to early mankind, when plants with known healing properties are combined, boiled or mashed. The mortar...

Alchemy reveals a world of penniless mystics, befuddled interpretation, arts of coloring metals and the quest for healing. Making gold...

Lady Isabella Cortese is born in the 16th century into a wealthy family in Italy. In Venice, she transcends conventional norms to shine...

Renaissance herbal recipes focus on health and medicine, but can also include dyeing, coloring and pigment making. Botanical knowledge...

Botrychium lunaria, lunary or common moonwort has a long history of use in folklore and medicine. It's found in the alchemy of Maria the...

The House of Wisdom in ancient and medieval Baghdad attracts scholars, philosophers, scientists, historians, writers and travelers, all...

The Almadén Mines in central Spain have an infamous past driven by profit and greed. The deadly history of ancient Almadén revolves...

Avicenna also known as Ibn Sina, an Islamic visionary whose contributions span various including philosophy, theology, medicine and...

Islamic alchemists and practitioners bridge the gap between the once-vibrant Alexandrian tradition and the friars of alchemy in medieval...

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

A vibrant golden spice, turmeric captivates kingdoms, heals the sick and rules the routes of the spice trade. The humble root has a long...

Bolos of Mendes (Bolus of Mendes) is a Neo-Pythagorean writer of the Nile Delta in the 3rd century BCE. He publishes several works under...

Mendes is an important city of ancient Egypt, in the Nile Delta. The bolus of Mendes or Mendesian bole refers to a medical preparation...

Alchemy surges to the forefront of many intellectually-driven cultures. From the Golden Age in Alexandria to Islamic mysticism and thence...

Why do onions make people cry? The answer involves a combination of chemistry and enzymes. The trigger behind the tears is an organic...

Salt is important from ancient to Renaissance alchemy, and still used today in alchemical projects, dyeing, cuisine and medicine. In...

Iron is abundant in Earth's crust and one of the seven metals of antiquity . Essential for life, iron can form various oxides and change...

Copperas, iron(II) sulfate or green ferrous sulfate, is a versatile compound in various applications, from agriculture to water...

The ancient Greeks are celebrated for their contributions to various fields such as philosophy, mathematics, and medicine. Among their...

"Hematite" comes from the ancient Greek for blood. The stone makes red dust when cut and polished. The red color isn't always visible at...