![]() They are the Three Primes, the Four Basic Elements (also known as the Four Classical Elements), the Seven Planetary Metals, and the Mundane Elements. ![]() That leaves us with 22 key alchemy symbols divided among a few distinct groups. While the main list is mostly standardized, symbols and artistic styles were varied among some. The practice was still in use as a form of science all the way until the 1700s, when other more modern fields started replacing them. 22 Alchemy Symbols and Their MeaningsĪlchemists eventually created a set of pictures called alchemical symbols that were used to specify elements and compounds. It perhaps was an attempt to connect science to religion, or something along those lines. Lastly, there was a strong belief in a hidden connected network of spiritual beings or feelings, called essences. So how did they communicate? With ciphers and cryptic symbols, many of which compose the alchemy symbols we’re exploring in a moment!Īlchemists believed the entirety of nature was composed of the four basic elements:Īs children, many of us have seen these elements as they’re a common trope in movies and TV shows like Power Rangers and Captain Earth. Kind of like the “magicians” you can see on TV today. Interestingly, many of the laboratory techniques invented by these practices of alchemy are still in use today and certainly set in place the long, slow motions of what we call science today.īut part of their modus operandi back then was based in secrecy. The name was later abused in a children’s book you probably know the name of - it was called the philosopher’s stone. Create a cure-all elixir to solve all of humanity’s ailmentsĪll of these lofty goals were connected to making one pure substance or object that could perform nearly any miracle.Create the elixir of immortality (the fabled fountain of youth).Create rare “noble metals” (like gold) from common “base metals” like lead.In its prime, alchemy had three main goals for its wizardly pseudo-scientists: We even have ancient texts describing the practice written all the way back in Egypt around the 3rd century AD. It was a protoscientific - an area of study that pre-dated the scientific method - tradition practiced all the way from China to Europe. ![]() What is alchemy?Īlchemy was an ancient strand of natural philosophy, which is sometimes referred to as a field of science by certain individuals. Let’s jump in and learn more about the mysteries of the ancient study of alchemy. I wanted to know more about alchemy, especially what the symbols actually mean and how these elements were determined and mixed into the field of alchemy in general. Plus, it’s super mysterious, which is always a cool thing to learn about in my books. From the epic quest to create gold out of thin air, or to develop advanced materials for use in warfare, alchemy was certainly a precursor to what we know as chemistry today. They’re called Alchemical symbols, and they’re definitely not a regular part of science class today.Īnd yet, the study of alchemy was par for the course for hundreds if not thousands of years. But today, I wanted to explore a subject that often pops up in the medieval and fantasy fiction books I used to read all the time as a kid. They’re even hidden in seemingly mundane things like labels or license plates. You see them on billboards and in magazines and all over text messages from young whippersnappers.
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