Plants, Trees & Fungi 6/10

Steam Distilling Floral & Herbal Essential Oils

Sylvia Rose

Sep 27, 20243 min read

Steam Distilling Floral & Herbal Essential Oils

Distilling essential oil can be used for aromatherapy, in cuisine, beauty, healing or to set a mood. Here's the methodology to capture...

7 views

Ardent Spirits Alchemy: the Fiery Elixirs of Life

Sylvia Rose

Sep 26, 20244 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...

17 views

Indigo: Extract Dye from Indigofera Tinctoria

Sylvia Rose

Sep 22, 20244 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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Alchemy: Ancient Mordant Recipes for Fabric & Stones

Sylvia Rose

Sep 22, 20243 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...

16 views

Mordants - Essential Ancient Dye Techniques

Sylvia Rose

Sep 21, 20243 min read

Mordants - Essential Ancient Dye Techniques

Mordants are part of the dyeing process and help achieve vibrant colors. Dyeing fabrics goes back to the Stone Age. Mordants are also...

14 views

10 Wise Plants & Herbs for the Elixir of Life

Sylvia Rose

Sep 21, 20245 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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Natural Colors: How to Extract Plant Pigments

Sylvia Rose

Sep 20, 20244 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...

18 views

Steam Distillation in Ancient & Medieval Alchemy

Sylvia Rose

Sep 19, 20244 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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Science of Alchemy: Simple Distillation Process

Sylvia Rose

Sep 19, 20246 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...

49 views

Secrets of Aqua Vitae in Alchemical Science

Sylvia Rose

Sep 18, 20243 min read

Secrets of Aqua Vitae in Alchemical Science

Aqua Vitae literally means Water of Life in Latin. It's also called Elixir Vitae or Elixir of Life. Alchemists from ancient Alexandria...

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Paracelsus: Renegade Renaissance Physician

Sylvia Rose

Sep 16, 20244 min read

Paracelsus: Renegade Renaissance Physician

Renegade physician Paracelsus is one of the most dramatic figures of the European Renaissance. Doctor, alchemist, astrologer,...

50 views

White Herb of Maria: Ancient Alchemy Secrets

Sylvia Rose

Sep 15, 20245 min read

White Herb of Maria: Ancient Alchemy Secrets

Maria or Mary the Jewess c. 100 AD is considered the first true alchemist. In her works she mentions a clear white herb growing on small...

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Galls & Gall Nuts: Black Ink, Dye, Medicine

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...

21 views

Alchemy of Mystical Herbal Elixirs & Cures

Sylvia Rose

Sep 11, 20245 min read

Alchemy of Mystical Herbal Elixirs & Cures

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

20 views

Alchemical Scientists: Secret Science of Alchemy

Sylvia Rose

Sep 10, 20248 min read

Alchemical Scientists: Secret Science of Alchemy

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

10 views

Isabella Cortese: Renaissance Writer, Alchemist, Entrepreneur

Sylvia Rose

Sep 9, 20246 min read

Isabella Cortese: Renaissance Writer, Alchemist, Entrepreneur

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

32 views

Sylvia Rose

Sep 9, 20245 min read

Secrets of Renaissance Herbal Recipes

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

17 views

Moonwort (Botrychium Lunaria): Folklore, Magic and Medicine

Sylvia Rose

Sep 8, 20243 min read

Moonwort (Botrychium Lunaria): Folklore, Magic and Medicine

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...

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3 Islamic Alchemists & the House of Wisdom

Sylvia Rose

Sep 7, 20245 min read

3 Islamic Alchemists & the House of Wisdom

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

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Turmeric (Curcuma longa): Ancient Uses & Medicine

Sylvia Rose

Sep 6, 20243 min read

Turmeric (Curcuma longa): Ancient Uses & Medicine

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

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