Sylvia Rose
Equipment Alchemists Need: Essential Tools of the Trade
Alchemy begins with several elements coming together at a crucial time in Alexandria, Egypt. As an international glass center, the city...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 13 min read
Science of Rust Earth Pigments & Colors
Rust is a complex chemical reaction from the interaction of iron, oxygen, and moisture. This common phenomenon produces striking colors...
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Sylvia Rose
Sep 13 min read
Goethite: The Other Iron-Rich Mineral
Goethite is common but like hematite a remarkable iron oxide mineral. In geology and mineralogy, goethite has piqued the interest of...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 313 min read
Planetary Name Symbolism in Ancient Astrology
The practice of naming planets comes from the work of the Babylonians. The concept passes into the Greek, and from there, Romans begin...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 304 min read
Hematite: Iron Oxide Red Earth Pigment
"Hematite" comes from the ancient Greek for blood. The stone creates red dust when cut and polished. The red color isn't always visible...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 293 min read
How to Make Hematite Pigment: A Step-by-Step Guide
Hematite, an iron ore with the chemical formula Fe2O3 (ferric oxide), is known for its metallic luster. In earthy form the stone offers a...
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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 293 min read
How to Make Copperas Ferrous Sulfate: Process
Copperas, known chemically as ferrous sulfate (FeSO₄), has been a vital compound across various industries for centuries. Although...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 277 min read
Renaissance Wars: Venice vs. Ottoman
The Ottoman-Venetian Wars are seven major conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice from the late 14th to the 18th...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 274 min read
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 273 min read
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 234 min read
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 214 min read
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 216 min read
Phosphorus, Uroscopy & Power of Pee
Urine has medical and practical applications though history. Renaissance alchemist Hennig Brand discovers phosphorus by boiling his...
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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 204 min read
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 204 min read
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...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 196 min read
Elixir Vitae: Giambattista della Porta
In the European alchemical tradition, the elixir vitae or elixir of life is associated with the philosopher's stone. Legend has it...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 195 min read
Guelphs & Ghibellines: Blood of the Renaissance
The Guelphs and Ghibellines are feuding factions during the Italian Renaissance. Warfare and bloodshed between the two throw regions of...
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Sylvia Rose
Aug 186 min read
Renaissance Astrology: Power of Stars & Planets
Astrology prospers in the East after the 476 AD fall of the Roman Empire. Indian, Persian, and Islamic writers prolifically translate...
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