1000+B.C.+Alchemists

Photo by Will Brown **//Interior of a Laboratory with an Alchemist//**, 17th century David Teniers II, Oil on canvas , Eddleman Collection, CHF Collections Ancient peoples used chemistry without fully understanding matter. These early chemistry experiments included using enzymes to make cheeses, fermentation of beer and wine, tanning of leather, smelting of metals, and making glass. As the art of alchemy expanded, history saw alchemists having similar goals of turning common metals into more valuable gold or silver, creating an “elixir of life” that could cure all of life’s ailments, and the search for the “philosopher’s stone” which could lead to eternal life. Through their chemistry research, many common things were discovered or perfected- ink, dye, paint, ceramic glazes, liquor, extracts, medicines, etc. Alchemists laid the groundwork for modern chemistry. The word comes from the Arabic word //al-kimia// and Muslim chemists were the first to develop the scientific method. Muslim scientists also contributed many modern chemistry techniques and apparatus such as; filtration, distillation, crystallization, water purification, solutions, sublimation, stills, tongs, scissors, flasks, water and sand baths, funnels, sieves, refrigerator coils, distillation of gasoline from oil, stained glass and the pinhole camera just to name a few! Alchemists split into two distinct schools of thought- one which went the direction of Chemistry as we know it, and the other which is more mythological and spiritual (picture Indiana Jones movies- the search for eternal life). Sources: University of Bristol School of Chemistry [] Chemical Heritage Foundation []