The Matter of Alchemy: Deciphering Medieval Practices
Sponsoring Organization(s)
Special Session
Organizer Name
Jennifer M. Rampling
Organizer Affiliation
Princeton Univ.
Presider Name
Peter M. Jones
Presider Affiliation
King's College, Univ. of Cambridge
Paper Title 1
Reading the Books of the Sages: Byzantine Hermeneutics of Ancient Alchemical Recipes
Presenter 1 Name
Matteo Martelli
Presenter 1 Affiliation
Univ. di Bologna
Paper Title 2
"The Secret of Salt": Salts and Their Use in Medieval Arabic and Judaeo-Arabic Alchemy
Presenter 2 Name
Gabriele Ferrario
Presenter 2 Affiliation
Johns Hopkins Univ.
Paper Title 3
Getting Blood from the Stone: Alchemy as Decipherment in Medieval England
Presenter 3 Name
Jennifer M. Rampling
Start Date
13-5-2018 10:30 AM
Session Location
Bernhard 205
Description
Medieval alchemy promised a host of products and pursuits, from medicine to the transmutation of metals. One of the greatest obstacles to achieving these goals was the difficulty of identifying ingredients and processes. From late antiquity onwards, alchemical writers disguised the practical content of their recipes by substituting cover names, omitting or dispersing information, and employing metaphorical, even fantastical, language. This session asks how medieval alchemists attempted to extract practical instructions from these texts – whether Byzantine commentaries, Judaeo-Arabic recipe collections, or Latin and European vernacular verse. As our case studies show, alchemical practice did not remain static over time, but varied as practitioners became interested in new substances and techniques, sought new patrons, and translated recipes from one language or literary form into another.
Jennifer Rampling
The Matter of Alchemy: Deciphering Medieval Practices
Bernhard 205
Medieval alchemy promised a host of products and pursuits, from medicine to the transmutation of metals. One of the greatest obstacles to achieving these goals was the difficulty of identifying ingredients and processes. From late antiquity onwards, alchemical writers disguised the practical content of their recipes by substituting cover names, omitting or dispersing information, and employing metaphorical, even fantastical, language. This session asks how medieval alchemists attempted to extract practical instructions from these texts – whether Byzantine commentaries, Judaeo-Arabic recipe collections, or Latin and European vernacular verse. As our case studies show, alchemical practice did not remain static over time, but varied as practitioners became interested in new substances and techniques, sought new patrons, and translated recipes from one language or literary form into another.
Jennifer Rampling