Sylvia Rose
Alchemy of Perfumes: Scents, Cologne, Rose Water
Perfumes are prized in ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China. The word “perfume” comes from Latin per fumum ,...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 226 min read
White Lead Toxic Beauty, Art, Ancient Production
White lead, lead(II) carbonate or PbCO₃, has a long history in art, paint and industry. It's a primary source of white for artists and in...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 116 min read
Eight Dye Plants & Natural Dyes in History
From vibrant reds extracted from roots to the deep blues synthesized from leaves, plants have abundant natural dyes and also health...
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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
Aug 65 min read
Astrology & Astronomy Ancient Origins
Astrology and astronomy give insights into seasonal changes and human nature. In Western tradition, astronomy is based on observance of...
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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 205 min read
The Great Library of Alexandria
The Great Library of Alexandria on the balmy shores of the Mediterranean and the Nile delta is a center of intellectual activity by c....
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 254 min read
Alchemy, Psychology & Archetypes
Alchemy is central to the theory of the collective unconscious, a quest for personal and universal truth. Accepting the dual nature of...
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Sylvia Rose
Jun 165 min read
Iah: Cryptic Ancient Moon God Egypt
Iah (Ancient Egyptian: jꜥḥ) is a primeval lunar deity in ancient Egyptian religion. The word jꜥḥ simply means "Moon". Iah is among the...
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Sylvia Rose
Apr 154 min read
Alum: Tanning, Dye & Beauty Salts
Alum is an ingredient in processes such as dyeing fabric, tanning hides and water purification. Alum is ubiquitous in ancient and...
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Sylvia Rose
Feb 34 min read
Dream Interpretation (Oneiromancy) - Mesopotamia
Dreams and dream meanings are a large part of the spiritual life of ancients. Oneiromancy or dream interpretation clarifies the dream....
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 18, 20234 min read
Sacrificial Creation Myths: Early People
The link between sacrifice and creation already exists when Proto-Indo-Europeans emerge as a significant language group c. 4500 - 2500...
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Sylvia Rose
Oct 16, 20232 min read
Ancient Marsh Muse - Rough Horsetail
Rough horsetail (Equisetum hyemale) is the oldest known plant in the world, and also makes beautiful music. Dating back to 150 million...
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