Sylvia Rose
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 185 min read
5 Waters of Ancient Alchemy: Aqua Caustic
The Waters of Alchemy are ravenous acids, miraculous solvents and corrosive fluids vital to alchemical process. Not for children ....
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 176 min read
10 Alchemical Metals - Ancient Metals of Alchemy
Ten metals are used in alchemy since its ancient emergence. They are antimony, bismuth, copper, gold, iron, lead, quicksilver (mercury),...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 164 min read
Paracelsus: Renegade Renaissance Physician
Renegade physician Paracelsus is one of the most dramatic figures of the European Renaissance. Doctor, alchemist, astrologer,...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 137 min read
Divine Water: Sulfuric Acid in Alchemy
Divine Water, oil of vitriol or sulfuric acid, scientifically denoted H₂SO₄, is commonly used in alchemy experiments. A mineral acid, it...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 86 min read
Almadén Mines: Ancient Mercury Extraction
The Almadén Mines in central Spain have an infamous past driven by profit and greed. The deadly history of ancient Almadén revolves...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 45 min read
Lucrezia Borgia: Exploring the Enigma
Lucrezia Borgia is an enigmatic figure of the Italian Renaissance (c. 1350 - 1550 AD). This period sees revival of art, culture and...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 313 min read
Making Sulfuric Acid in History & Today
Sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) is one of the most important chemicals in the world, with many uses from car battery production to fertilizer...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 303 min read
Ancient Greek Discovery & Use of Mercury
The ancient Greeks are celebrated for their contributions to various fields such as philosophy, mathematics, and medicine. Among their...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 293 min read
Aqua Regia: The Green Lyon of Alchemy
Aqua regia, Latin for “royal water,” is a powerful acidic solution known to dissolve noble metals like gold and platinum. It's used in...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 297 min read
Question of Alchemy in Ancient Rome
Alchemy, a fusion of science, philosophy and mysticism, emerges in practice from the 1st century AD. Among the power civilizations of...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 214 min read
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 134 min read
Dioscorides: Natural Medicine of Ancients
Pedanius Dioscorides is a surgeon in the army of Emperor Nero . His knowledge of surgery and other medical skills suggests study in...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 135 min read
Vinegar Cures of Physician Dioscorides
Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40 - 90 AD), a Greek physician. is known as the father of pharmacognosy. Pharmacologist, botanist and prolific...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 106 min read
Argyropoeia: Silver Making of Ancients
Argyropoeia is the process of making silver from another metal, such as copper. Although gold-making or chrysopoeia is better known,...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 85 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 65 min read
Celandine: Plant Toxins & Medicine
Celandine (Chelidonium majus) is a popular medicinal plant in the ancient world, also appearing in gold-making recipes of alchemists. Use...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 55 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
Jul 294 min read
Theriac: Miracle Snake Venom Potion
Making a proper theriac takes months. The recipe calls for plants collected in season, and the distillation or fermentation of herbs,...
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Sylvia Rose
Jul 224 min read
Agathodaemon: Fire, Silver & Alchemy
Agathodaemon (Agathodiamon) is an alchemist of ancient Alexandria. A snake god protector of the sparkling port city bears the same name....
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