Sylvia Rose
Arcanum Duplicatum: Double Secret of Alchemy
Arcanum Duplicatum is known by many names: sulphate of potash, arcanite, potash of sulfur, potassium sulfate. An inorganic compound, it...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 264 min read
Ardent Spirits Alchemy: the Fiery Elixirs of Life
Ardent Spirits in alchemy are liquors obtained after repeated distillations from fermented fruit and vegetables. They are thus called...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 253 min read
Fulminating Gold: Blowing It Up in Alchemy
Fulminating Gold ( aurum fulminans ) is the first high explosive known, recorded in Western alchemy c. 1585. Sebald Schwaerzer is the...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 253 min read
Oil of Philosophers: Alchemy Health & Beauty
Oil of Brick is known as Oil of Philosophers by alchemists and Oleum de Lateribus (Oil on the Sides) by apothecaries. This medicinal and...
41 views
Sylvia Rose
Sep 254 min read
Arcanum Joviale: Alchemy of Sudorific Sweat
Arcanum Joviale is an alchemy medicine made of metal salts, taken to induce sweating. While the term sudorific is introduced in 1626,...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 247 min read
Acetic Acid: Vinegar 🜊 in Ancient Alchemy
Acetic acid is a compound with many uses. With chemical formula CH₃COOH, this colorless liquid has a sharp pungent smell and sour taste....
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 233 min read
What is Alum? Origins, Production & Use
Alum has a multi-toned nature. Alum denotes a group of chemical compounds characterized by double sulfate salts. Alums are used across...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 234 min read
Making Sapphire & other Precious Gemstones
Synthetic sapphires and lab-grown gemstones mimic the brilliance and allure of natural gems while often surpassing them in quality and...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 236 min read
Sapphire Gemstones: Colors, Myths, Origins & Gemology
Exquisite gems, sapphires are beautiful stones known for stunning colors and unique properties. Greeks wear sapphire for guidance when...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 224 min read
Alchemy & Prague: Countess Barbara von Zweibrücken-Neuburg
Barbara von Zweibrücken-Neuburg (1559 - 1618) is described as a striking personality. Intelligent, charismatic and formidable of will,...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 224 min read
Indigo: Extract Dye from Indigofera Tinctoria
Indigo, deep blue dye from the Indigofera tinctoria plant, often associated with blue denim, is one of humanity's oldest dyes. The...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 223 min read
Alchemy: Ancient Mordant Recipes for Fabric & Stones
Alchemy of the ancients includes skills such as preparation of dyes, pigments and mordants for fabric and stone. Purple dyes are...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 225 min read
Antimony (Stibnite, Kohl) Ancient Metal of Science & Beauty
Antimony (stibnite, Sb) is one of the elements known by the ancients, a primary source of black powder kajal or kohl. With its silvery...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 215 min read
10 Wise Plants & Herbs for the Elixir of Life
The Elixir of Life manifests as potion, tea, powder, water, oil or soluble salts. This mystical creation is said to bestow immortality or...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 216 min read
Nicolas Flamel: Creation of an Alchemy Legend
Nicolas Flamel (1330 - 1418) is a prosperous scribe shop owner in Paris, France. He marries well and lives an illustrious life. At his...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 204 min read
Natural Colors: How to Extract Plant Pigments
Artists and craftspeople have used plant pigments as a source of color for millennia. Works of art and textile dyes using vegetable...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 193 min read
Lunar Caustic AgNO3: Lapis Infernalis of Alchemy
Lunar caustic ( lapis infernalis ), Höllenstein (hellstone) or silver nitrate ( argentinium nitrium ) is esteemed by alchemists of the...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 194 min read
Steam Distillation in Ancient & Medieval Alchemy
Steam distillation develops from simple and fractional distillation techniques, and is first known to be documented among the Islamic...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 192 min read
Fractional Distillation: Ancient & Medieval Alchemy Processes
Fractional distillation is a technique to separate components of a mixture based on their various boiling points. In this process, a...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 195 min read
Science of Alchemy: Simple Distillation Process
Simple distillation is a technique of ancient and medieval alchemists. It can be a process on its own or part of a larger work, involving...
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