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Alchemical symbols were used to denote chemical elements and ... ☾ is silver but ☽ is mercury. Many of the 'symbols' are simply abbreviations of the Greek word or ...
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. [30] [31]
Planetary symbols are used in astrology and traditionally in astronomy to represent a classical planet (which includes the Sun and the Moon) or one of the modern planets. The classical symbols were also used in alchemy for the seven metals known to the ancients, which were associated with the planets, and in calendars for the seven days of the week associated with the seven planets.
Corrosive sublimate – mercuric chloride, formed by subliming mercury, calcined green vitriol, common salt, and nitre. Gum Arabic – gum from the acacia tree. Liver of sulfur – formed by fusing [clarification needed] potash and sulfur. Lunar caustic/ lapis infernalis – silver nitrate, formed by dissolving silver in aqua fortis and ...
A table of alchemical symbols from Basil Valentine’s The Last Will and Testament, 1670 ce. Traditionally, each of the seven planets in the Solar System as known to the ancients was associated with, held dominion over, and "ruled" a certain metal. The list of rulership is as follows: The Sun rules Gold The Moon, Silver Mercury, Quicksilver ...
Many more symbols were in at least sporadic use: one early 17th-century alchemical manuscript lists 22 symbols for mercury alone. [10] Planetary names and symbols for the metals – the seven planets and seven metals known since Classical times in Europe and the Mideast – was ubiquitous in alchemy.
It is associated with the planet Mercury; the astrological symbol for the planet is also one of the alchemical symbols for the metal. [60] Mercury is the only metal for which the alchemical planetary name became the common name. [59]
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".