 |
|
|
Alchemical Symbols - Alphabetical List
|
| |
|
|
Alchemy refers to both an early form of the investigation of nature and an early philosophical and spiritual discipline. They both combine elements of chemistry, metallurgy, physics, medicine, astrology, semiotics, mysticism, spiritualism, and art. It has been practiced in Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Persia, India, and China, in Classical Greece and Rome, in Muslim civilization, and then in Europe up to the 19th century in a complex network of schools and philosophical systems spanning at least 2500 years.
Today the discipline is still active but is of interest mainly to historians of science and philosophy, and for its mystic, esoteric, and artistic aspects. Alchemy was one of the main precursors of modern sciences, and many substances and processes of ancient alchemy continue to be used by modern chemical and metallurgical industries.
Although alchemy has many aspects, it is perhaps best known in popular culture as the process used to change lead (or other elements) into gold. Another well known aspect is the search for the Philosopher's Stone, the possession of which would supposedly give a person the ability to transmute gold or to have eternal life..
Alchemical symbols, were used to denote most elements and some compounds until the 18th century. While the notation method was mostly standardized, styles and symbols varied between alchemists, this page shows the most commonly used ones, with some more recent additions used by alchemists today for substances unknown prior to the 19th century.
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Air |   |
|---|
| Alcohol |   |
|---|
| Alkali |  |
|---|
| Alum |    |
|---|
| Aluminium |  |
|---|
| Amalgam |   |
|---|
| Amalgamation |  |
|---|
| Ammonia |  |
|---|
Anneal
(Annealing) |  |
|---|
| Antimony |    |
|---|
| Aqua Fortis |   |
|---|
| Aqua Regia |  |
|---|
Aqua Vitae
(Spirit of Wine) |   |
|---|
| Aqua |  |
|---|
| Aquarius |  |
|---|
| Aries |  |
|---|
| Arsenic Sulfur |  |
|---|
| Arsenic |     |
|---|
| Autumn |  |
|---|
| Beeswax |  |
|---|
| Bismuth |   |
|---|
| Borax |    |
|---|
| Boron |  |
|---|
| Brass |  |
|---|
Brimstone
(Sulphur, Sulfur) |  |
|---|
| Burned Alum |  |
|---|
| Burned Hathorn |  |
|---|
| Calcined Gold |  |
|---|
| Cancer |  |
|---|
| Capricorn |  |
|---|
| Chalk |  |
|---|
| Cinder |  |
|---|
| Cinnabar |  |
|---|
| Clay |   |
|---|
| Cobalt |  |
|---|
| Compose |  |
|---|
| Copper |       |
|---|
| Copper Acetate |  |
|---|
| Copper Splints |   |
|---|
| Corpuscle |  |
|---|
| Cribbled Ashes |  |
|---|
| Crucible |  |
|---|
| Crystal |   |
|---|
| Day and Night |  |
|---|
| Day |   |
|---|
| Decompose |   |
|---|
| Distill |   |
|---|
| Distilled Vinegar |   |
|---|
| Dram |  |
|---|
| Earth |   |
|---|
| Eggshells |  |
|---|
| Element |  |
|---|
| Equal Amount |  |
|---|
| Ferment |  |
|---|
| Filter |  |
|---|
| Fire |  |
|---|
| Fumes |  |
|---|
| Gemini |  |
|---|
| Ginger |  |
|---|
| Glass Dropper |  |
|---|
| Glass |   |
|---|
| Gold |                 > |
|---|
| Gold Foil |  |
|---|
Gold Litharge
(Lead Monoxide) |  |
|---|
| Gold Saffron |  |
|---|
Gold Trinkbar
(N.B A drink containing gold) |  |
|---|
| Gravel |   |
|---|
| Grille |  |
|---|
Haematite
(Hematite) |  |
|---|
| Honey |  |
|---|
| Hour |  |
|---|
| Iron Filings |  |
|---|
| Iron Rust |  |
|---|
Iron Vitriol
(Melanterite) |  |
|---|
| Iron |     |
|---|
Jupiter
Ruler of Tin |  |
|---|
| Lapis Lazuli |  |
|---|
| Leo |  |
|---|
| Lead |        |
|---|
| Libra |  |
|---|
| Lime |  |
|---|
Luna
Moon
Ruler of Silver |  |
|---|
| Lye |  |
|---|
| Magnesia |  |
|---|
| Magnesium |      |
|---|
| Magnet |  |
|---|
| Manure |  |
|---|
Mars
Ruler of Iron |  |
|---|
| Melting or Digesting |  |
|---|
Mercurius
Mercury
Ruler of Quicksilver |  |
|---|
| Mercury |       |
|---|
| Month |  |
|---|
| Neptunus |  |
|---|
| Nickel |  |
|---|
| Night |  |
|---|
| Nitre Flower |  |
|---|
| Nitre Oil |  |
|---|
Nitric Acid
(Aqua Fortis) |  |
|---|
| Oil Essence |  |
|---|
Oil of Vitriol
(Sulphuric Acid) |  |
|---|
Oil
(Oleum) |    |
|---|
| One Dram |  |
|---|
| One Ounce |  |
|---|
| One Pinch |  |
|---|
| One Pound |  |
|---|
| One Scruple |  |
|---|
| Ounce |  |
|---|
| Pewter |  |
|---|
| Phosphorus |    |
|---|
| Pinch |  |
|---|
| Pint |  |
|---|
| Pisces |  |
|---|
| Platinum |   |
|---|
| Pluto |  |
|---|
| Potash |  |
|---|
| Potassium |    |
|---|
| Pound |  |
|---|
| Powder |  |
|---|
| Precipitate |  |
|---|
| Pulverize |  |
|---|
| Purification |  |
|---|
Quicksilver
(Mercury) |  |
|---|
| Receiver |  |
|---|
Red Arsenic
(Realgar) |   |
|---|
Red Lead(Lead Tetroxide)
(Triplumbic Tetroxide) |  |
|---|
| Retort |   |
|---|
| Rocksalt |   |
|---|
| Rosin |  |
|---|
| Sagittarius |  |
|---|
| Sal Armoniac |  |
|---|
| Salt |    |
|---|
| Saltpeter |  |
|---|
Saturnus
Ruler of Lead |  |
|---|
| Scorpio |  |
|---|
| Scruple |  |
|---|
| Sea Salt |  |
|---|
| Sediment |  |
|---|
Silicon
(Modern alchemy only) |  |
|---|
| Silver |            |
|---|
| Silver Spirit |  |
|---|
| Skull |  |
|---|
| Soapstone |    |
|---|
Sol
Sun
Ruler of Gold | |
|---|
| Soot |  |
|---|
| Spirit of Mercury |  |
|---|
| Spirit of Tin |  |
|---|
| Spirit |  |
|---|
| Spring |  |
|---|
| Steel |  |
|---|
| Still |  |
|---|
| Stone |  |
|---|
| Sublimation |  |
|---|
| Sugar |  |
|---|
| Sulphur (Sulfur) |          |
|---|
| Summer |  |
|---|
| Take |  |
|---|
Tartar
(Tartaric acid)? |   |
|---|
| Taurus |  |
|---|
Terra
Earth |  |
|---|
| Tin |      |
|---|
| Torrefaction of Silver |  |
|---|
| Uranus |  |
|---|
| Urine |  |
|---|
| Vapour Bath |  |
|---|
Venus
Ruler of Copper |  |
|---|
| Verdigris |  |
|---|
| Vinegar |  |
|---|
| Virgo |  |
|---|
| Vitriol |    |
|---|
| Water |   |
|---|
| Wax |   |
|---|
| Week |  |
|---|
White Arsenic
(Arsenic Trioxide) |   |
|---|
| Wick |  |
|---|
| Wine Spirit |  |
|---|
| Winter |  |
|---|
| Wood |  |
|---|
| Year |  |
|---|
Yellow Arsenic
(Orpiment) |   |
|---|
| Yields |  |
|---|
| Zinc |      |
|---|
|
|
back to top |
| |
| |
|
Grouped List of Alchemy Symbols
|
|  |
