Matteo Martelli Perfects the Tincture
We dive a bit deeper into the ‘deep tinctures’ with Matteo Mattelli. We discuss a modern attempt to distil eggs taken from a recipe from Zosimus (you can turn silver into gold! Or at least it looks like gold …).
Primary Sources
Collection of the Ancient Greek Alchemists, Vol. 1
Marcellin Berthelot strips away the centuries of legend surrounding alchemy to reveal its messy, practical origins in the workshops of antiquity. He documents the transition from mundane metal coloring and alloy fabrication to the birth of a global obsession with turning base metals into gold. The t
Collection of the Ancient Greek Alchemists, Vols. 2-3
Marcellin Berthelot compiles the primary Greek texts that defined the alchemical tradition for centuries. These writings treat chemical transformation not as a distant science, but as a visceral, spiritual labor. The authors argue that metal is alive and capable of death, digestion, and resurrection
The Library of Photius (English)
The Library of Photius, also known as the Bibliotheca or Myriobiblon, is a cornerstone of the Byzantine Renaissance and one of the most important works of literary criticism in history. Written as a series of summaries for his brother while on a diplomatic mission, Photius reviews 279 books, spannin