alchemy
Lead into gold
Alchemy was a medieval forerunner of chemistry, concerned with transforming base metals into gold and discovering an elixir of immortality.
The practice blended proto-scientific experimentation with mystical and philosophical elements.
Figuratively, alchemy describes any seemingly magical transformation: the alchemy of turning a screenplay into a film, the strange alchemy between performer and audience.
Dense metal, symbol Pb
- goldElement seventy-nine
- philosopher's stoneLegendary substance enabling transmutation
- elixirMythical healing draught
- magnum opusCreator's supreme achievement
base metal · noble metal · calcination · dissolution · conjunction · fermentation · distillation · coagulation
Thorough change in form
- transmutationComplete change of form
- refinementElegance of manner
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
- metamorphosisProfound biological restructuring
conversion · synthesis · catalyst · distillation · essence · golden · spiritual growth · self-transformation
Airtight, impervious condition
- occultConcealed from view
- arcaneUnderstood by few
- gnosisExperiential sacred understanding
- cabalaEsoteric or hidden doctrine
initiation · adept · symbology · cipher · sacred geometry · correspondence · macrocosm · microcosm
Of the Middle Ages
- RenaissanceEuropean cultural reawakening
- ArabicSemitic language family member
- AlexandriaEgyptian Mediterranean port
- EuropeSmallest inhabited continent
monastery · court · patron · charlatan · adept · laboratory · manuscript · secrecy
Exposed as fraudulent
- superstitionBaseless belief in omens
- protoscienceDiscipline awaiting scientific rigor
- prescientificBefore systematic inquiry existed
- misguidedBased on poor judgment
fraudulent · charlatanism · quackery · delusion · impossible · discredited · lead to gold · fool's gold
lead
Dense metal, symbol Pb
- goldElement seventy-nine
- philosopher's stoneLegendary substance enabling transmutation
- elixirMythical healing draught
magnum opus · base metal · noble metal · calcination · dissolution · conjunction · fermentation · distillation · coagulation · projection
transformation
Thorough change in form
- transmutationComplete change of form
- refinementElegance of manner
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
metamorphosis · conversion · synthesis · catalyst · distillation · essence · golden · spiritual growth · self-transformation · creative process
hermeticism
Airtight, impervious condition
cabala · initiation · adept · symbology · cipher · sacred geometry · correspondence · macrocosm · microcosm · opus
medieval
Of the Middle Ages
- RenaissanceEuropean cultural reawakening
- ArabicSemitic language family member
- AlexandriaEgyptian Mediterranean port
Europe · monastery · court · patron · charlatan · adept · laboratory · manuscript · secrecy · persecution
debunked
Exposed as fraudulent
- superstitionBaseless belief in omens
- protoscienceDiscipline awaiting scientific rigor
- prescientificBefore systematic inquiry existed
misguided · fraudulent · charlatanism · quackery · delusion · impossible · discredited · lead to gold · fool's gold · snake oil
- fantasy magicmagic wand, crystal ball, flying broom, love potion, invisibility cloak
- arcanagrimoire, spellbook, incantation, enchantment, arcanum
- Chinese Mythologycreation story, Jade Emperor, white snake, celestial beings, fox spirits
- magical practiceswitchcraft, sorcery, folk magic, ceremonial magic, hoodoo
- Occult Traditionsoccultism, esotericism, Hermeticism, Kabbalah, Gnosticism
- Old Sciencephlogiston, aether, ether, caloric, miasma
alchemychemistry
Study of substances' interactions
science · scientific method · physics · biochemistry · materials science
alchemystasis
State of inactivity
preservation · conservation · permanence · immutability · entropy
alchemyempiricism
Knowledge through observation
rationalism · positivism · transparency · reductionism · materialism
- The Alchemist
- medieval alchemyAncient transmutation practice
alchemist, alchemical, alchemize, alchemists, alchemized, alchemizing