Aluminum oxide or alumina (Al2O3) is the secret to the composition and allure of precious gems such as sapphire and ruby. This white,...

Corundum is a mineral composed of aluminum oxide. Living deep within the Earth in an environment of intense heat and pressure, the...

Synthetic sapphires and lab-grown gemstones mimic the brilliance and allure of natural gems while often surpassing them in quality and...

Exquisite gems, sapphires are beautiful stones known for stunning colors and unique properties. Greeks wear sapphire for guidance when...

Earth of Chios is a white to gray powdery mineral soil or fine grained clay found on the Greek island of Chios. Earth of Chios or Chian...

The Waters of Alchemy are ravenous acids, miraculous solvents and corrosive fluids vital to alchemical process. Not for children ....

Salts are ubiquitous in nature and play critical roles in sciences from biology to medicine. In alchemy, salts are standard ingredients....

Zinc (Zn) is an essential metal of life and one of the four components in the Tetrasomia of Maria in alchemy. The 30th element on the...

The Almadén Mines in central Spain have an infamous past driven by profit and greed. The deadly history of ancient Almadén revolves...

Testing metals is a precise and varied process in the ancient world. It's a crucial skill in ensuring fair trade and preventing fraud....

In alchemy, science and mysticism intertwine. Among the practical alchemical skills is dyeing of metals and gems. Alchemists from early...

The Philosophers' Stone or lapis philosophorum is a miraculous legendary substance. It holds secrets to an elixir of life, a cure for...

Make non-toxic iron oxide pigments for painting, dyes, glazes, artistic to industrial uses. Iron oxide (Fe2O3) or rust exists on Earth...

Hematite, an iron ore with the chemical formula Fe2O3 (ferric oxide), is known for its metallic luster. In earthy form the stone offers a...

White pigments used in ancient art, spirituality and beauty include bone, limestone variations like chalk and other natural sources....

Limonite is an iron earth mineraloid among the first colors of the Stone Age palette. Grinding limonite produces yellow ochre. Other...

Carnelian (early: cornelean ) is already used in the Stone Age to make beads. Pebbles of the reddish orange gemstone might be polished by...

Ullikummi of ancient near Eastern mythology is a towering creature of stone. It's born of the union of Underworld creator god Kumarbi ...

Arsenic (As) has been called the King of Poisons and the Poison of Kings. This silvery metalloid appears abundantly in the Earth and...

The Metals of Antiquity are the seven metals identified and used by humans in Europe and the Middle East in prehistoric times. They are...