Alchemy and the Interior of the Earth

Hey dear community, as always I hope that you are all well and that you have had a day that has brought numerous interesting experiences into your lifes! In this post, I would like to talk a little about alchemy and hope you can expand your knowledge a little.

You can see here pictures of different minerals and matching to topic topic, I would like to go into more detail about the philosophers stone and according to alchemical traditions there are some connections that are associated with the interior of the earth. In this context, it is also important to know that alchemists often had underground laboratories in which they could pursue their work undisturbed and this was particularly important during times in which alchemy was considered an occult science which was often persecuted, and if you want to learn more about it, you will find my contribution here. One of the most important substances in alchemy was the well-known vitriol and this is also a collective name for crystal water-containing sulfates, which have been of great importance for centuries and there seems to be a special meaning behind it. If you take the different letters of the word Vitriol, it is also closely linked to the Latin sentence "Visita interiora terrae, rectificando invenies occultum lapidem", which roughly translated means that you have to visit the interior of the earth to find the hidden stone and in this context Vitriol can also be considered a kind of symbolic message with a higher meaning. Where exactly this tradition comes from is a mysterious topic to this day and there are numerous interpretations about this topic and often this path is also given to the seeker with a stage system of revelation and associated with spiritual enlightenment and in old alchemists of art this theme is often expressed in an occult way. There are also interpretations that this wisdom has already been mentioned by the founder of hermetics Hermes Trismegistos in the well-known emerald tablets Tabula Smaragdina and according to other interpretations, this view comes from the Middle Ages. Other alchemists also went into more detail about the interior of the earth and there is also an exciting but fictional legend about it by the alchemist Arne Saknussem from the 16th century and it is interesting that he has was of the opinion that one should visit the crater of a volcano in Iceland to find the way into the interior of the earth and even if it is a fictional personality, it is probably based on the scholar Árni Magnússon, who had dealt a lot with medieval texts. In this context with the volcano, one could also thinks of the Roman god of blacksmithing and fire Vulcan, who had his forge inside the crater of a volcano and is also strongly connected to alchemy and according to some interpreters, he is even considered the founder of alchemy and appears in numerous alchemical texts or works of art.

Thanks a lot for stopping by and I hope you could learn something new about alchemy! I captured these pictures with my Camera Sony Alpha 6000 plus 55-210 mm lens.