alchemical

Alchemical Symbolsand Symbolism:An ExplorationTimothy O. Deschaines, Ph.D.

Egyptian Symbols

Greek Apparatus

Indian Alchemical Apparatus

The Four ElementsN FireP WaterM AirO Earth

From Greenberg - “A Chemical History Tour”

Aristotle’s Transmutation DiagramFireHotDryAirEarthWetColdWater

Modern appearances of the four elementsWater Air Fire Earth

The Tria Prima - ParacelsusSaltMercurySulfurSophic Sulfur – male, SoulSophic Mercury – female, SpiritSophic Salt – Material Body

Tria prima from Della Tramutatione Metallica by Giovanni Battista Nazari (Brescia, 1599)

The Seven Planetary MetalsMetalGoldSilverIronMercuryTinCopperLeadSymbolQRUSVTWPlanetSunMoonMarsMercuryJupiterVenusSaturn

The 12 processes of the ZodiacZodiac SignAriesTaurusGeminiCancerLeoVirgoSymbolABCDEFProcessCalcinationCongelationFixationSolutionDigestionDistillation

Zodiac SignLibraScorpioSagittariusCapricornAquariusPiscesSymbolGHIJKLProcessSublimationSeparationCerationFermentationMultiplicationProjection

More ProcessesAmalgamationpTo BoilnTo SolverTo RotoTo Take@To ComposeqTo PrecipitateQTo FilterTo Sublimate$DistillhTo PulverizeCTo PurifyD

SubstancesEssencetUniversal Seed;AmalgamuAqua VitaeWOil of VitriolAqua Vitae*Aqua RegiamAqua Fortis (nitric acid):Distilled vinegar-VinegarV

Antimony\ZinclPlatinum(NickeleSteel (?)iBrassjAlum[SulphurNitreTartar

Sal AmmoniaccMagnesiacQuicklimeYStoneSaltOiloSandPUrineManureNCrucibleWater Bath,Retortv

Weights & MeasuresPound1Ounce2Dram3Scruple4Pinch5Pint6

TimeHour!Week%Month^Year&Night & Day$YearDay#Night@Summer7Autumn8Winter9Spring0

Symbolic RelationshipsWaterPAqua VitaeAqua FortisAqua RegiaWater Bath*:m,Clay[ or kRust>

Symbolic RelationshipsFireNSulphurAmalgamDistillSanduhPArsenic SulfurU

Symbolic RelationshipsUniversal Seed;SaltOil of VitrioleNitreRock saltH

Systematized Symbols…?WaterAirEarthFireNo!

Animals – BirdsBlack Crow – blackening, putrefactionWhite Swan – superficial spiritualityPeacock – shift in perspectivePelican – self sacrificePhoenix – completion and rebirthFrom “The Birds in Alchemy” by Adam McLean

AnimalsGreen Lion – power of nature, iron sulfateGray Wolf – antimony, amalgamationSnake or Serpent – Rebirth, connectionOuroboros – infinity, completionToad – wet pathway similar to Black CrowWhite Eagle – dry pathway of SwanWhite Unicorn – spiritual transitionDragon – like serpent, beginning and endFrom “Animal Symbolism in the Alchemical Tradition” by Adam McLean

The Green Lion

From Greenberg - “A Chemical History Tour”

The Gray Wolf(of Antimony)

Ouroboros

The Phoenix

The Pelican

Salamander

Dragon’s Blood

The Twelve Philosophical Keysof Basil ValentineDuodecim Claves philosophicæ1. Amalgamation 7. Gestation or ?2. Separation 8. Fermentation3. Purification 9. The Cycle4. Putrefaction 10. Tria Prima5. Solution 11. Multiplication6. Conjunction 12. CalcinationBasilius Valentinus, 15 th century Alchemist,Canon of the Benedictine Priory of Sankt Peter in Erfurt, Germany

AmalgamationSeparation

PurificationPutrefaction

Solution

ConjunctionGestation orInterconnection

Fermentation

The parts of the CycleTria Prima

Multiplication

CalcinationSummary?

Another version of the KeysAmalgamationSeparationPurificationPutrefaction Solution Conjunction

Gestation? Fermentation The CycleTria Prima Multiplication Calcination

Correspondences?1. Amalgamation2. Separation Scorpio3. Purification4. Putrefaction5. Solution Cancer6. Conjunction7. Gestation8. Fermentation Capricorn9. The Cycle10.Tria Prima11.Multiplication Aquarius12.Calcination Aries

Multimedia Alchemy – 1617Michael Maier’s Atalanta FugiensIncluded: 50 emblems, epigrams, discourses and fuguesSource: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Maier

Emblem 1The wind hascarried it in hisbelly.The foetus, hidden in BOREAS’ womb,Shall one day rise up, living, to the light;He only shall surpass all heroes’ deedsWith art, with hand, with body’s strength and mind.Let yours not be a Coeso, an abortion ,An Agrippa, but born beneath good stars.

Other Infamous (and Fictitious) AlchemistsThe Alchemist Dr. Alchemy Mr. Element(villains from the comic book The Flash)Images from http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/

Resources“A Chemical History Tour: Picturing Chemistry fromAlchemy to Modern Molecular Science”by Arthur Greenberg“The Golden Game: Alchemical Engravings of theSeventeenth Century”by Stanislas K. De Rola“Lure and Romance of Alchemy”by C.J.S. ThompsonThe Alchemy Web Sitehttp://www.levity.com/alchemy/index.htmlAdam McLeanAmbixThe Journal for the Society for the History ofAlchemy & Chemistry