Technikatörténeti szemle 22. (1996)

Papers from the Second International Conference on the History of Chemistry and Chemical Industry (Eger, Hungary, 16–19 August, 1995) - Pérez-Bustamente, A. Juan: The Holistic Concept of Alchemy

A lot of syncretic symbolism is condensed in fig.12 where the alchemical basic tenets of the unity of matter, equilibrium (fixed vs. volatile), reversibility, etc. are symbolised by the "Ouroboros" (serpent-dragon eating its tail) while the difficulties implied by the consecution of the alchemical transmutation (Ars Magna, "Great Work", "Opus Maior" etc.) are related to the wellknown greek myths of the minotaurean "Labyrinthus" and the golden "Arbor Solaris" defended by a dragon in the "garden of the Hesperids". The symbolic final achievement of the "Great Work" encircles the basic tenets bound to the philosophy of matter and its transmutation into different forms related to the prime matter, the four elements and the three material ..spirits" (sulphur, arsenic and mercury) most widely used to effect transmutations acting on the base metals of the tetrasomy (Pb, Sn, Fe, Cu). The conceptual basis involved in the greco-alexandrine transmutatory process is summed up in fig.13 considering both hylemorphic and stoic philosophies of matter: the active "pneuma", the four elements and qualities, the three "spirits" as related to the sequence of transmutatory operations characterized by changing colours of matter which undergoes ennoblement departing from black ("melanosis" or "nigredo") changing progressively into white ("leucosis" or "albedo"), yellow ("xantosis" or „citrinitas") and red of the greco-alexandrine transmutatory process