Alchemy

Alchemy, from its beginnings, was a means to transform the human soul from its base (lead) state to its Enlightened and eternal state (gold). Alchemy was the forerunner to chemistry and in the manipulation of materials, alchemists (the ppl who practiced alchemy) developed many of the basic techniques used in chemistry today. The best known goals of the alchemists were the transmutation of common metals into gold or silver and the creation of a panacea, a remedy that supposedly would cure all diseases and prolong life forever.

Alchemy was born in ancient Egypt. Egyptian beliefs in life after death, and the mummification procedures they developed, gave rise to basic chemical knowledge and a goal of immortality.

By 332 BC, Alexander the Great had conquered Egypt. Greek philosophers became interested in the Egyptian ways. Greek views of how matter is made up was that of the four elements of nature - Fire, Earth, Air and Water, were merged with the

Egyptian sacred science. The result was Khemia, the Greek word for Egypt.

When Egypt was occupied by the Arabs in the 7th Century, they added 'al-' to the word Khemia and al-Khemia meaning 'the Black Land' is the origin for the word alchemy. It is unfortunate that more is not known about this early period in the history of alchemy because In 391, invading Christians burned the great library in Alexandria, destroying many relevant works.

Alchemy was also developed independently in China by Taoist monks.

The monks pursued both the outer elixir and the inner elixir. The former being minerals, plants etc. which could prolong life, Like China and Egypt, India developed alchemy independently. They had beliefs similar to the Chinese, in that they used external and internal methods to purify the body and prolong life.

In their work the Indians invented steel and long before Bunsen and Kirchhoff's work, realised the importance of flame colour in the identification of metals.

The introduction of alchemy to the west came in the 8th Century when the Arabs brought it to Spain. From here it quickly spread to the rest of Europe.

The Arabian belief was that metals are made up of mercury and sulfur in varying proportions. Gold was seen as the perfect metal and all others were less perfect, this was an idea popular among western alchemists. It was a very popular idea, that these lower metals could be transmuted into gold by means of a substance known as the Philosophers Stone. The Stone is also believed to be able to grant immortality

Western alchemy was the forerunner of modern science. Alchemists used many of the same tools that we use today. These tools were not usually sturdy or in good condition, especially during the Dark Ages of Europe. Many transmutation attempts failed when alchemists unwittingly made unstable chemicals, this was made worse by the unsafe conditions.

Up to the 16th century, alchemy was actually considered serious science in Europe; for instance, Isaac Newton devoted considerably more of his time and writing to the study of alchemy than he did to physics, for which he is famous for.

In Europe, alchemy led to the discovery of manufacture of amalgams (mixtures- compounds) and advances in many other chemical processes and the apparatus required for them. Eventually, by the 16th Century, the alchemists in Europe had separated into two groups.

The first group focused

on the discovery of new compounds and their reactions - leading to what is now the science of chemistry.

The second continued to look at the more spiritual, metaphysical side of alchemy, continuing the search for immortality and the transmutation of base metals into gold.

This led to the modern day idea of alchemy.

You may think that these people wasted their times and that it is impossible to turn metals in to gold well.... There are RECORDS OF ACTUAL TRANSMUTATIONS existing in the world at this day: Several records of alleged transmutations