This month we explore the ancient art of Alchemy.

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The practice dates back to Ancient Egypt and the Middle East. It is believed to be founded by Hermes Trismegistus, who was the embodiment of wisdom by the ancient Egyptians. In one of his most famous quotes he describes alchemy as “the art of transmuting the base metal of ignorance into the gold of wisdom.” In layman's terms, alchemy is described as the art of transmuting one substance into another. 

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Ancient alchemists focused primarily on the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. They believed that in harnessing and combining these elements, they could create any substance they desired. The philosopher Democritus was considered the first great alchemist. He believed that the physical world was made up of tiny particles called atomos. He said that alchemists could create gold only if they found the right combination of atomos. He also believed in the concept of mimēis, which is the belief that “humanity’s craftsmanship and knowledge could imitate anything nature was capable of producing.” 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The desire of all alchemists was to find the Philosopher’s Stone. And no, we are not talking about the Harry Potter book…Alchemists believed that if they combined the right materials, they were capable of making a substance that was capable of turning base metals into precious metals like gold and silver. Ancient lore has it that this substance could also grant immortality.  It was believed to grant them more wealth and power. This substance was considered the “elixir of life” and alchemists dedicated their lives to discovering the secret of the philosopher’

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Alchemists tended to practice in secret, and kept their records to themselves. Earliest records of alchemy date back to the 3rd and 4th century CE. Old records are not easy to understand however, because they recorded a lot of their discoveries in symbols. Significant symbols include the circle and the cross. The circle was the most commonly seen symbol in alchemy because it represented the unity of the four elements. These elements must be in balance to transmute metals into gold. 

 

Many artisans were able to make materials that looked like, but weren’t actually, gold, silver, gemstones, and even purple. Alchemists strove to control the processes of nature and replicated many natural chemical reactions that occur naturally, such as oxidation. They used a variety of trials like burning, heating, and dissolving various elements, metals, and even human blood and hair in their work. Alchemists relied on experimentation rather than method and mysticism rather than logic. 

 

Although we do not claim to practice alchemy in our jewelry making, we do do some transmutation of our own by using the technique of the marriage of metals. T

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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