Alchemy is an early practice combining elements of chemistry, physics, astrology, art, semiotics, metallurgy, medicine, mysticism, and religion. Two intertwined goals sought by many alchemists were the philosopher's stone, a mythical substance which would enable the transmutation of common metals into gold; and the universal panacea, a remedy that would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely. Alchemy can be regarded as the precursor of the modern science of chemistry prior to the formulation of the scientific method.
To the alchemist, there is no compelling reason to separate the chemical (material) dimension from the interpretive, symbolic or philosophical one. So alchemical symbols and processes often have both an inner meaning referring to the spiritual development of the practitioner as well as a material meaning connected to physical transformation of matter.
The transmutation of base metals into gold symbolized an endeavour toward perfection or the highest heights of actual existence, and the division of the world into four basic elements was as much a geometric principle as a geological one. The alchemists believed that the whole universe was tending towards a state of perfection; and gold, due to its immunity to decay, was considered to be the most perfect of substances. By attempting to transmute base metals into gold, they were, in effect, trying to give the universe a helping hand. It was also logical to think that understanding the secret of gold's immutability might provide the key to ward off disease and organic decay; hence the intertwining of chemical, spiritual and astrological themes that was characteristic of medieval alchemy.
The word alchemy comes from the Arabic language al-kimiya or al-khimiya (الكيمياء or الخيمياء), which is probably formed from the article al- and the Greek word khumeia (χυμεία) meaning "cast together", "pour together", "weld", "alloy" etc. (from khumatos, "that which is poured out, an ingot").
The origins of Western alchemy can be traced back to ancient and Hellenistic Egypt, where the city of Alexandria was a center of alchemical knowledge and experimentation. The ancient Egyptians had a sophisticated knowledge of metallurgy and used various chemical processes to extract metals from ores.
The Greeks, who were influenced by Egyptian culture and knowledge, further developed alchemical practices and theories. The philosopher Democritus, for example, wrote about the transmutation of metals and the existence of a "prime matter" that could be transformed into any substance.
During the Hellenistic period, Alexandria became a center of learning and scholarship, and alchemy flourished there. The philosopher Zosimos of Panopolis, who lived in Alexandria in the 3rd or 4th century AD, wrote extensively about alchemy and developed many of its fundamental principles, such as the idea of a universal solvent and the transmutation of base metals into gold.
As the Roman Empire expanded, alchemical knowledge spread throughout Europe, and many notable alchemists emerged during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, such as Paracelsus, Isaac Newton, and John Dee. Despite its reputation as a pseudo-science, alchemy played an important role in the development of modern chemistry and helped lay the groundwork for the scientific method.
https://sacred-texts.com/alc/index.htm Alchemy
https://www.alchemywebsite.com/
http://www.levity.com/alchemy/index.html
https://www.labyrinthdesigners.org/
https://www.sacredscienceinstitute.com/
https://hermetic.com/hermeneuticon/paracelsus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychology_and_Alchemy
https://hermetic.com/caduceus/articles/2/4/hermetic-alchemy Hermetic-Alchemy by Kenneth Stein
https://www.alchemywebsite.com/retschla.html Die Alchimie und ihr großes Meisterwerk der Stein der Weisen - Max Retschlag
https://www.friesian.com/elements.htm The Greek Elements
http://azothalchemy.org/elements.htm Working with the Elements - Dennis William Hauck
http://www.hyle.org/journal/issues/9-2/obrist.htm Visualization in Medieval Alchemy - Barbara Obrist
https://mystic.fandom.com/wiki/Alchemy
https://blog.prepscholar.com/alchemy-symbols
https://sacred-texts.com/alc/hermmuse/index.htm The Hermetic Museum - Arthur Edward Waite
https://www.jstor.org/stable/43664517 THE TRANSMUTATIONS OF ARTHUR MACHEN: ALCHEMY IN 'THE GREAT GOD PAN' AND "THE THREE IMPOSTORS" - Jake Poller
https://rahoorkhuit.net/library/alchemy/alchemy.html Alchemy
https://virgolucifera.com/what-is-virgo-lucifera/
Lawrence M. Principe - The Secrets of Alchemy
Andrew Weeks (Editor) - Paracelsus (Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, 1493-1541): Essential Theoretical Writings
Sorcerer's Stone: A Beginner's Guide to Alchemy - Dennis William Hauck
Hermetic Philosophy and Alchemy - Mary Anne Atwood
The Alchemist's Handbook: Manual for Practical Laboratory Alchemy - Frater Albertus
Real Alchemy: A Primer of Practical Alchemy - Robert Allen Bartlett
Practical Alchemy - Brian Cotnoir
Gold: Israel Regardie's Lost Book of Alchemy - Israel Regardie
The Art of Alchemy, or, The Generation of Gold [4 volumes] - Delmar Bryant
H. Stanley Redgrove - Alchemy Ancient and Modern
Johannes Helmond - Alchemy Unveiled
Arthur Edward Waite - The Secret Tradition in Alchemy: Its Development and Records