What is the true meaning of alchemy?

Alchemy means the pursuit of certain chemical experiments to transform base metals into gold, increase the efficiency of known medicines, and find the elixir of life.

What does alchemy mean spiritually?

Although alchemy is known for the pursuit of a means to turn base metals into gold, it did have a spiritual side when it became an allegory or perhaps even a means to find redemption for the soul.

What is the study of alchemy?

The study of alchemy goes back to antiquity and involves finding a chemical way to change base metals into gold. Alchemists believed this could be achieved by finding an undefined transformative substance known as the philosopher's stone.

Alchemy Timeline

Definition

Alchemy is an ancient practice aimed at recreating precious substances using recipes and transformative materials such as the philosopher's stone. Alchemists believed that materials like gold, silver, gems, and purple dye could be recreated if the right combination of ingredients and transformative methods were found. Other avenues of exploration in later centuries were aimed at increasing the potency of medicines, finding an elixir that prolonged life, and even achieving the redemption of the soul.

More about: Alchemy

Timeline

c. 460 BCE - c. 370 BCE
Life of the Greek philosopher Democritus, often credited as the founder of alchemy.
1 CE - 800 CE
Alchemy is particualrly prevalent in Roman Egypt.
c. 200 CE - 400 CE
The oldest surviving Greek and Latin texts concerning alchemy.
300 CE
The Egyptian alchemist Zosimus of Panopolis is active.
c. 1150 CE
Knowledge of alchemy from the Muslim world filters through to Europe.
1493 CE - 1541 CE
Life of the Germanic alchemist who called himself Paracelsus.
1561 CE
The Italian alchemist Isabella Cortese publishes The Secrets of Lady Isabella Cortese.
1720 CE
Alchemy is by now widely discredited by scientists and has been replaced by chemistry.