Alchemy - The Science Between Dream and Reality

Alchemy, a discipline that flourished for almost two millennia across three continents, piqued the interest of its contemporaries with its promises. Today, it is studied by historians of science, art, and also by psychologists. Attention is given to a question that remains without a clear and complete answer: how did alchemy actually originate? Defining this discipline is equally problematic. This book focuses on practical alchemy performed in laboratories, particularly the form that eventually waned in Europe. Chinese alchemy is mentioned only briefly. This is not a continuous narrative of the history of alchemy, but rather a look at individual moments that characterise the discipline. There are also mentions of various crafts, as metallurgy, in particular, often used the same procedures as alchemy. The aim is not only to acquaint the reader with important figures in alchemy and their work but also with new discoveries made in recent decades. Some of these have quite significantly changed the existing view of the history of alchemy.