Renaissance Wars: Venice vs. Ottoman
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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
- 4 min
Venice Italy: Jewel of the Renaissance
Venice during the Renaissance emerges as a vibrant center of art, culture and commerce, influencing the broader European scope. The...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 27
- 3 min
Alchemy & Renaissance Glass: Antonio Neri
Antonio Neri is a Renaissance Florentine priest, well known for contributions to alchemy and glassmaking. As a youth Neri is drawn to the...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 26
- 3 min
Easy Alchemy: Caput Mortuum Purple
Caput mortuum, Latin for as "dead head" is an ominous name for a highly prized color. As an iron oxide it's easy to make at home. From an...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 26
- 5 min
Ancient Roman Baths & Bathing
Bathing is an important part of ancient Roman culture. Structures such as the Baths of Diocletian or Thermae Diocletiani in Rome are a...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 26
- 4 min
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 26
- 2 min
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
- 3 min
Alexandria & the Siege of Diocletian
Ancient Alexandria, jewel of Egypt, is renowned as a city of philosophy, medicine and alchemy. A crucial turning point happens 297 AD....
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 24
- 6 min
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 23
- 5 min
Knights Templar Crusades & Medieval France
The Knights Templar, or the Poor Knights of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, are a religious military order formed in 1099 during the...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 23
- 4 min
Religious Wars Catholics & Protestants France
The 16th and 17th centuries mark a tumultuous period in European history, defined by a series of religious wars with cataclysmic effects...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 23
- 4 min
Bernard Trevisan: Legends of Alchemy
Bernard Trevisan is a prototypical figure in alchemy, constructed by various alchemical writers of the medieval and Renaissance eras in...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 23
- 5 min
Medieval Alchemy: Jean de Roquetaillade
Jean de Roquetaillade (1310 - 1370 AD) or John of Rupescissa is a prominent figure in medieval France. A fiery Franciscan friar,...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 22
- 8 min
Medieval France: Peasants, Knights & Urbanites
Medieval France sees many changes in the turmoil of war, plague, mad royals and the birth of the Inquisition. A precisely defined social...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 22
- 5 min
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 21
- 4 min
Urine in Medieval Alchemy & Medicine
In the medieval world, urine is a surprisingly versatile body fluid with a wide range of applications beyond the obvious disposal...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 21
- 4 min
Tellurium: Bright Gold & Dark Matter
Tellurium is the Latin word for earth. A brittle, non-malleable silvery white metalloid, tellurium (Te) is a rare element having both...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 20
- 5 min
Alchemy: Metallurgy, Myths & Magic
Alchemy has a lifelong relationship with the magic of metals and their multiple manifestations. Metal workers and later blacksmiths...
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 20
- 4 min
Magic Metals, Gold, Smiths & Alchemists
In Eastern and Western alchemy, the transformation of metals into gold (Au) symbolizes a process of maturation for metal and alchemist....
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Sylvia Rose
- Aug 20
- 4 min
Smelting Metals: Metalwork & Alchemy
In alchemy an essential piece of equipment is the hearth or forge. Smelting metal applies heat and a reducing agent to separate one or...
10 views
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