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The astrological symbol for the planet became one of the alchemical symbols for the metal, and Mercury became an alternative name for the metal. Mercury is the only metal for which the alchemical planetary name survives, as it was decided it was preferable to quicksilver as a chemical name. [28] [29]
The tradition remains today with the name of the element mercury, where chemists decided the planetary name was preferable to common names like "quicksilver", and in a few archaic terms such as lunar caustic (silver nitrate) and saturnism (lead poisoning). [4] [5] Lead, corresponding with Saturn ♄ Tin, corresponding with Jupiter ♃ ()
Azoth – initially this referred to a supposed universal solvent but later became another name for Mercury. Bitumen – highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. Blende; Brimstone – sulfur; Flowers of sulfur – formed by distilling sulfur. Caustic potash/caustic wood alkali – potassium hydroxide, formed by adding lime to potash.
Azoth was believed to be the essential agent of transformation in alchemy. It is the name given by ancient alchemists to mercury, which they believed to be the animating spirit hidden in all matter that makes transmutation possible. The word comes from the Arabic al-zā'būq which means "mercury".
The name of the metal was first documented in the 16th century, [40] [41] and is probably derived from the German zinke for the needle-like appearance of metallic crystals. [42] Alchemical symbol for the element zinc. The isolation of metallic zinc in the West may have been achieved independently by several people in the 17th century. [43]
Gold and mercury were often used by alchemists (including Brahe) in medicines, and it was common for alchemists to link the Earth’s elements to properties in space and the human body. And there ...
41 of the 118 known elements have names associated with, or specifically named for, places around the world or among astronomical objects. 32 of these have names tied to the places on Earth, and the other nine are named after to Solar System objects: helium for the Sun; tellurium for the Earth; selenium for the Moon; mercury (indirectly), uranium, neptunium and plutonium after their respective ...
The first alchemist whose name we know was Mary the Jewess (c. 200 A.D.). [118] Early sources claim that Mary (or Maria) devised a number of improvements to alchemical equipment and tools as well as novel techniques in chemistry. [118] Her best known advances were in heating and distillation processes.