Greek Alchemists at Work: 'Alchemical Laboratory' in the Greco-Roman Egypt

Abstract

The paper focuses on the alchemical laboratory of ancient Greco-Egyptian alchemists, by taking into account especially the earliest alchemical texts (both in the Greek and in the Syriac tradition), ascribed to Pseudo-Democritus, Maria the Jewish and Zosimus. The first part analyzes the possible relationships between the workshops of Egyptian craftsmen (first of all, dyers, metals workers and glass workers) and the activity of the alchemists. The second part gives a general overview on the alchemical instruments described in the Corpus alchemicum.