---
title: "Alchemy"
chunk: 11/12
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alchemy"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T03:38:25.858667+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

Alchemy has had a long-standing relationship with art, evident in both alchemical texts and mainstream entertainment. Literary alchemy appears throughout the history of English literature from William Shakespeare to J. K. Rowling, and also the popular Japanese manga Fullmetal Alchemist. Here, characters or plot structure follow an alchemical magnum opus. In the 14th century, Chaucer began a trend of alchemical satire that can still be seen in recent fantasy works, such as those of the late Sir Terry Pratchett. Another literary work inspired by the alchemical tradition is the 1988 novel The Alchemist by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho.
Visual artists have had a similar relationship with alchemy. While some used it as a source of satire, others worked with the alchemists themselves or integrated alchemical thought or symbols in their work. Music was also present in the works of alchemists and continues to influence popular performers. In the last hundred years, alchemists have been portrayed in a magical and spagyric role in fantasy fiction, film, television, novels, comics, and video games.

=== Science ===

One goal of alchemy, the transmutation of base substances into gold, is now known to be impossible by means of traditional chemistry, but possible by other physical means. Although not financially worthwhile, gold was synthesized in particle accelerators as early as 1941.

== See also ==

== Notes ==

== References ==

=== Citations ===

=== Sources used ===

== Bibliography ==

=== Introductions and textbooks ===
Beretta, Marco, ed. (2022). A Cultural History Of Chemistry in Antiquity. London: Bloomsbury. doi:10.5040/9781474203746. ISBN 978-1-4742-9453-9. (focus on technical aspects)
Burnett, Charles; Moureau, Sébastien, eds. (2022). A Cultural History Of Chemistry in the Middle Ages. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-1-4742-9454-6. (focus on technical aspects)
Halleux, Robert (1979). Les textes alchimiques. Turnhout: Brepols. ISBN 978-2-503-36032-4.
Joly, Bernard (2013). Histoire de l'alchimie. Paris: Vuibert-Adapt. ISBN 978-2-311-01248-4. (general overview)
Martelli, Matteo (2019). L'alchimista antico: Dall'Egitto greco-romano a Bisanzio. Milano: Editrice Bibliografica. ISBN 978-88-7075-979-2. (Greek and Byzantine alchemy)
Moran, Bruce, ed. (2022). A Cultural History Of Chemistry in the Early Modern Age. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 978-1-4742-9459-1. (focus on technical aspects)
Multhauf, Robert P. (1966). The Origins of Chemistry. London: Oldbourne. OCLC 977570829.
Nicolaïdis, Efthymios, ed. (2018). Greek Alchemy from Late Antiquity to Early Modernity. De Diversis Artibus. Vol. 104. Turnhout: Brepols. doi:10.1484/M.DDA-EB.5.116173. ISBN 978-2-503-58191-0. (Greek and Byzantine alchemy)
Partington, James R. (1970) [1961]. A History of Chemistry. Volume 1, Part I. London: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-03490-3. (the second part of volume 1 was never published; the other volumes deal with the modern period and are not relevant for alchemy)
Pereira, Michela (2001). Arcana Sapienza: Storia dell'alchimia occidentale dalle origini a Jung. Rome: Carocci. ISBN 978-88-430-9647-3. (general overview, focus on esoteric aspects)
Principe, Lawrence M. (2013). The Secrets of Alchemy. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-68295-2. (general overview, written in a highly accessible style)
Rampling, Jennifer M. (2020). The Experimental Fire: Inventing English Alchemy, 1300–1700. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-82654-7.
Viano, Cristina, ed. (2005). L'alchimie et ses racines philosophiques. La tradition grecque et la tradition arabe. Paris: Vrin. ISBN 978-2-7116-1754-8.

=== Greco-Egyptian alchemy ===

==== Texts ====
Marcellin Berthelot and Charles-Émile Ruelle (eds.), Collection des anciens alchimistes grecs (CAAG), 3 vols., 1887–1888, Vol 1: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k96492923, Vol 2: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9680734p, Vol. 3: https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9634942s.
André-Jean Festugière, La Révélation d'Hermès Trismégiste, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2014 (ISBN 978-2-251-32674-0, OCLC 897235256).
Robert Halleux and Henri-Dominique Saffrey (eds.), Les alchimistes grecs, t. 1 : Papyrus de Leyde – Papyrus de Stockholm – Recettes, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 1981.
Otto Lagercrantz (ed), Papyrus Graecus Holmiensis, Uppsala, A.B. Akademiska Bokhandeln, 1913, Papyrus graecus holmiensis (P. holm.); Recepte für Silber, Steine und Purpur, bearb. von Otto Lagercrantz. Hrsg. mit Unterstützung des Vilh. Ekman'schen Universitätsfonds.
Michèle Mertens and Henri-Dominique Saffrey (ed.), Les alchimistes grecs, t. 4.1 : Zosime de Panopolis. Mémoires authentiques, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 1995.
Andrée Collinet and Henri-Dominique Saffrey (ed.), Les alchimistes grecs, t. 10 : L'Anonyme de Zuretti ou l'Art sacré and divin de la chrysopée par un anonyme, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2000.
Andrée Collinet (ed), Les alchimistes grecs, t. 11 : Recettes alchimiques (Par. Gr. 2419; Holkhamicus 109) – Cosmas le Hiéromoine – Chrysopée, Paris, Les Belles Lettres, 2000.
Matteo Martelli (ed), The Four Books of Pseudo-Democritus, Maney Publishing, 2014.