“I have omitted all those things which I have not myself seen, or have not read or heard of from persons upon whom I can rely. That which I have neither seen, nor carefully considered after reading, or hearing of, I have not written about...I have devoted much labor and care, and have even gone to some expense upon it; for with regard to the tools,... and machines, I have not only described them, but have also hired illustrators to delineate their forms, lest descriptions which are conveyed by words should either not be understood by men of our own times, or should cause difficulty to posterity...”—Georgius Agricola, De Re Metallica, 1556 These are the lucid and explicit statements made by Georgius Agricola in the preface to his De Re Metallica. Agricola is universally known for this book that, for the first time in the history of arts, offers a detailed and systematic treatment of mining engineering. The treatise is known primarily as a milestone in 16th century science and technology, as well as for its spectacular engravings. Agricola, born at Glauchau, Germany, on March 24, 1494, was a scholar with many interests. He lived in a period rich in important spiritual and scientific movements. Suffice it to mention humanism, which spread beyond the Alps thanks to Erasmus of Rotterdam, Luther’s reformation, the battle fought by Paracelsus against arid bookish science, Vesalius’ reform of anatomy, and the theories propounded by Copernicus, which revolutionized astronomy. Agricola, whose real name was Georg Bauer, studied philosophy and theology at the University of Leipzig. In 1523 he moved to Bologna, Italy, as a student of the famous anatomist Berengario da Carpi, and graduated in medicine. Subsequently he spent the years 1524 to 1526 in Venice as editor at the printing house founded by Aldo Manuzio. Although Venice was a city with a rich spiritual and commercial life, Agricola was haunted by memories of the mineral richness of his native country and soon felt a craving to learn more about minerals and engineering. So, he went back to St. Joachimsthal, Saxony, Germany, in the Erzgebirge mining district. There he was appointed physician and pharmacist, and, in addition to his daily work, devoted himself to technology. During his lifetime he held several positions of prestige and power, such as burgomaster of Chemnitz and ambassador extraordinary to the court of the Emperor Charles V and King Ferdinand of Austria. He died on November 21, 1555, in Chemnitz, Germany.