Alchemical Symbols and Symbolism an Exploration- Timothy O. Deschaines Ph.D
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Transcript of Alchemical Symbols and Symbolism an Exploration- Timothy O. Deschaines Ph.D
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Alchemical Symbols
and Symbolism:
An Exploration
Timothy O. Deschaines, Ph.D.
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Egyptian Symbols
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Greek Apparatus
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Indian Alchemical Apparatus
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The Four Elements
N Fire P Water
M Air O Earth
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From Greenberg - “A Chemical History Tour”
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Aristotle’s Transmutation Diagram
Fire
Water
EarthAir
Dry
Cold
Hot
Wet
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Modern appearances of the four elements
Water Air Fire Earth
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The Tria Prima - Paracelsus
Salt
SulfurMercury
Sophic Sulfur – male, Soul
Sophic Mercury – female, Spirit
Sophic Salt – Material Body
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Tria prima from Della Tramutatione Metallica by Giovanni Battista Nazari (Brescia, 1599)
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The Seven Planetary Metals
SaturnWLead
VenusTCopper
JupiterVTin
MercurySMercury
MarsUIron
MoonRSilver
SunQGold
PlanetSymbolMetal
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The 12 processes of the Zodiac
DistillationFVirgo
DigestionELeo
SolutionDCancer
FixationCGemini
CongelationBTaurus
CalcinationAAries
ProcessSymbolZodiac Sign
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ProjectionL Pisces
MultiplicationK Aquarius
FermentationJ Capricorn
CerationI Sagittarius
SeparationH Scorpio
SublimationG Libra
ProcessSymbolZodiac Sign
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More Processes
DTo PurifyCTo Pulverize
hDistill$To Sublimate
To FilterQTo Precipitate
qTo Compose@To Take
oTo RotrTo Solve
nTo BoilpAmalgamation
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Substances
VVinegar-Distilled vinegar
:Aqua Fortis (nitric acid)mAqua Regia
*Aqua VitaeOil of Vitriol
WAqua VitaeuAmalgam
;Universal SeedtEssence
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TartarNitre
Sulphur[Alum
jBrassiSteel (?)
eNickel(Platinum
lZinc\Antimony
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vRetort,Water Bath
CrucibleNManure
UrinePSand
oOilSalt
StoneYQuicklime
cMagnesiacSal Ammoniac
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Weights & Measures
6Pint5Pinch
4Scruple3Dram
2Ounce1Pound
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0Spring9Winter
8Autumn7Summer
@Night#Day
Year$Night & Day
&Year^Month
%Week!Hour
Time
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Symbolic Relationships
Water
P
Aqua Vitae
*Aqua Fortis
:Aqua Regia
mWater Bath
,Clay
[ or kRust
>
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Symbolic Relationships
Fire
N
Sulphur
Amalgam
u
Distill
hSand
PArsenic Sulfur
U
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Symbolic Relationships
Universal Seed
;
Salt
Nitre
Oil of Vitriol
eRock salt
H
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Systematized Symbols…?
No!
Water
Air Fire
Earth
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Animals – Birds
Black Crow – blackening, putrefaction
White Swan – superficial spirituality
Peacock – shift in perspective
Pelican – self sacrifice
Phoenix – completion and rebirth
From “The Birds in Alchemy” by Adam McLean
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Animals
Green Lion – power of nature, iron sulfate
Gray Wolf – antimony, amalgamation
Snake or Serpent – Rebirth, connection
Ouroboros – infinity, completion
Toad – wet pathway similar to Black Crow
White Eagle – dry pathway of Swan
White Unicorn – spiritual transition
Dragon – like serpent, beginning and end
From “Animal Symbolism in the Alchemical Tradition” by Adam McLean
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The Green Lion
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From Greenberg - “A Chemical History Tour”
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The Gray Wolf
(of Antimony)
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Ouroboros
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The Phoenix
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The Pelican
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Salamander
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Dragon’s Blood
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The Twelve Philosophical Keys
of Basil ValentineDuodecim Claves philosophicæ
1. Amalgamation 7. Gestation or ?
2. Separation 8. Fermentation
3. Purification 9. The Cycle
4. Putrefaction 10. Tria Prima
5. Solution 11. Multiplication
6. Conjunction 12. Calcination
Basilius Valentinus, 15th
century Alchemist,
Canon of the Benedictine Priory of Sankt Peter in Erfurt, Germany
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Amalgamation Separation
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Purification Putrefaction
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Solution
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ConjunctionGestation or
Interconnection
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Fermentation
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The parts of the Cycle Tria Prima
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Multiplication
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Calcination Summary?
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Another version of the Keys
Amalgamation
Putrefaction Solution Conjunction
Separation Purification
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Gestation? Fermentation The Cycle
Tria Prima Multiplication Calcination
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1. Amalgamation
2. Separation Scorpio
3. Purification
4. Putrefaction
5. Solution Cancer
6. Conjunction
7. Gestation
8. Fermentation Capricorn
9. The Cycle
10.Tria Prima
11.Multiplication Aquarius
12.Calcination Aries
Correspondences?
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Multimedia Alchemy – 1617
Michael Maier’s Atalanta FugiensIncluded: 50 emblems, epigrams, discourses and fugues
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Maier
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Emblem 1
The wind has
carried it in his
belly.
The foetus, hidden in BOREAS’ womb,
Shall one day rise up, living, to the light;
He only shall surpass all heroes’ deeds
With art, with hand, with body’s strength and mind.
Let yours not be a Coeso, an abortion ,
An Agrippa, but born beneath good stars.
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Other Infamous (and Fictitious) Alchemists
The Alchemist Dr. Alchemy Mr. Element
(villains from the comic book The Flash)Images from http://www.hyperborea.org/flash/
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Resources
“A Chemical History Tour: Picturing Chemistry from
Alchemy to Modern Molecular Science”
by Arthur Greenberg
“The Golden Game: Alchemical Engravings of the
Seventeenth Century”
by Stanislas K. De Rola
“Lure and Romance of Alchemy”
by C.J.S. Thompson
The Alchemy Web Site
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/index.html
Adam McLean
Ambix
The Journal for the Society for the History of
Alchemy & Chemistry