Through the Eras

PhilosophySOURCESErik Hornung, The Secret Lore of Egypt: Its Impact on theWest (Ithica, N.Y.: Cornell University Press, 2001).László Kákosy, “Decans in Late-Egyptian Religion” inOikumene 3 (1982): 163–191.Joachim Quack, “Decane und Gliedervergottung” in Jahrbuchfur Antike und Christentum 38 (1995): 97–122.ALCHEMYDEFINITION. Those who practiced alchemy claimedit was a science and speculative philosophy which aimedto change base metals into gold, discover a universal curefor disease, and prolong life indefinitely. The earliest alchemicaltexts claim an origin in ancient Egypt. In fact,the oldest known alchemical text was written by Zosimusof Panopolis, who lived in the fourth century C.E. in atown in central Egypt now known as Akhmim. Zosimusclaimed as his sources Persian and Jewish writers in additionto certain Egyptians named Peteese, Phimenas,and Pebechius. The best identified of his Egyptiansources was Bolus of Mendes who live in the third centuryB.C.E. In addition to these claims for the Egyptianorigins of alchemy, a text called Physika kai Mystikawritten by Psudo-Democritus claims that alchemy wastaught in Egyptian temples. He even attempted to derivethe word “alchemy” from one of the ancient Egyptiannames of the country, Kemi.GREEK SOURCES. The Egyptologist François Daumasbelieved that Ptolemaic Egypt would have been anintellectual milieu that would be conducive to the developmentof alchemy. Yet all early texts about alchemy,even when they have origins in Egypt, were written inGreek. The Greek sources, however, claim Egyptian originsand refer to the Egyptian gods Isis, Osiris, andHorus. They even claim that Khufu (2585–2560 B.C.E.),a king of the Fourth Dynasty who built the Great Pyramid,wrote an alchemical work.STONE. Daumas’ claims for an Egyptian origin foralchemy are based on Egyptian views of stone and stone’srelationship with alchemy. The proper use of the philosopher’sstone was for alchemists the key to reaching theirgoals. Alchemists believed that this imaginary stone,properly used, could transmute base metals into gold.Daumas notes that the Egyptians understood stone tobe dynamic. In Pyramid Text 513—a spell from an OldKingdom (2675–2170 B.C.E.) royal funeral—lapis lazuligrows like a plant. In the Middle Kingdom (2008–1630B.C.E.) an expedition leader to the Sinai commented onthe constantly changing color of turquoise. The Egyptiansbelieved that the weather could change the colorof turquoise and that the best color was only availablein the cool months. In an inscription at Abu Simbelcarved in the reign of Ramesses II (1279–1213 B.C.E.)the god Ptah describes how mountains actively bringforth stone monuments and the deserts create preciousstones. This view of stone as dynamic rather than inertis basic to alchemy.HOUSE OF GOLD. The Egyptologist Phillippe Derchainconnected the “House of Gold,” a section of theTemple of Hathor at Dendera, with the origins ofalchemy. The room was used to prepare cultic instruments.The god in charge of this room was Thoth—whom the Greeks associated with Hermes—who was thegod of knowledge and philosophy. The king was representedon the doorway of the room with the epithet “Sonof Thoth.” Part of the mystery performed while makingthe cultic material here symbolically transformed graininto gold. Derchain believed that the border betweensymbolism and later alchemy that sought to transformmaterials into gold was still maintained here.HORUS OF EDFU. The temple of Horus in the townof Edfu also dates to the Ptolemaic Period. The walls ofthe treasury of this temple depicts mountains offeringgold, silver, lapis-lazuli, turquoise, jasper, carnelian,hematite, and other semi-precious stones. The ointmentsprepared at this temple for use in the ritual utilized thesematerials. They were prepared over long periods, withparticular actions required on each day. The descriptionof the preparations closely resembles alchemy with repeatedheating and cooling of these stones in order tocreate something different. These second-century B.C.E.activities might be the origins of Egyptian alchemy.ARABIC TRADITION. Two texts in Arabic highlightthe connection between alchemy and Egyptian cult.They are the Risalat as-Sirr (Circular Letter of Mystery)and the Ar Risala al-falakiya al kubra (Great CircularLetter of the Spheres). In the Arabic tradition, alchemywas the science of the temples, and Egyptian templeswere the places where its secrets were located. Zosimushad previously associated the hieroglyphs on temple wallswith the secrets that Hermes and the Egyptian priestsknew. The Risalat as-Sirr maintains that it too came froma temple in Akhmim. It had been hidden under a slabof marble in the crypt of a woman, perhaps a referenceto the Egyptian goddess Isis. This text places its ownfinding in the ninth century C.E. The Ar Risala al-falakiyaal kubra claims for itself a find spot under a statue ofIsis-Hathor in the temple located in Dendera. It claimsthat Hermes wrote it at the instruction of Osiris. Bothtexts seem to have origins in the Ptolemaic Period,200 Arts and Humanities Through the Eras: Ancient Egypt (2675 B.C.E.–332 B.C.E.)