Alchemy symbol symbols have been around for centuries, and people are often interested in them because they contain some of the mystique the field of alchemy does. But what do those symbols mean? And how were the elements they represent used by alchemists? In this guide, we’ll give a background on alchemy and alchemy symbols, then we’ll cover every major alchemy symbol, including what it stood for, the properties it was associated with, and any interesting facts that go along with the symbols and meanings.
Fire
In alchemy, fire represents emotions such as passion, love, anger, and hate
Mercury
Mercury is also one of the seven planetary metals, and can mean both the element and the planet.
- In ancient times, mercury was known as quicksilver, and it was believed to be able to shift between liquid and solid states, so it is often represented by a serpent/snake, and its symbol is said to resemble a cosmic womb.
Alchemy Symbols and Meanings
Alchemy element symbols have existed for over a thousand years, and they were a key component of alchemy, as well as related fields of study such as astronomy, medicine, and philosophy
Arsenic
As a metalloid, arsenic is capable of transforming its physical appearance (a metallic-gray solid or a yellow crystalline solid), the same way a cygnet transforms into a swan.
Salt
Now known to be a chemical compound comprised of sodium and chloride, but alchemists believed it was a single element
- Salt represents the body, as well as physical matter in general, crystallization, and condensation
- Often impure when first collected, but through chemical processes it can be dissolved and purified
The Four Classical Elements
The Classical Elements are based on the ancient Greek belief that air, earth, fire, and water composed all matter in the world.
- These four aren’t elements you can find on the periodic table, but alchemists believed to have significant powers, as well as the ability to create new elements.
What Is Alchemy?
Alchemy is an area of study, sometimes described as a science, sometimes as a branch of philosophy, that was practiced in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
- Alchemists had three main goals: Create the Philosopher’s Stone, Create an elixir of eternal youth and health, and Transmute metals (specifically into gold).
- Achieving any one of these goals would cause the alchemist to become incredibly rich and famous, and many would-be alchemists used trickery or outright lied about their findings.
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The Three Primes
Also known as the tria prima, the three primes, were named by Paracelsus, a Swiss philosopher, in the 16th century
- He believed the trias prima contained all the poisons that caused disease, and that by studying them, alchemists could learn how to cure it
- The tria prime defined humans, and he assigned each of the elements to a different part of the human identity
Water
Cold and wet, it’s associated with intuition as well as the color blue, and is often linked to the alchemy symbol of mercury (as both are seen as feminine symbols).
- The water symbol is the downward-point triangle.
- Sometimes said to resemble containers for holding water, such as a cup or urn.
The Seven Planetary Metals
Each of these elements is a metal, and they are each connected to a celestial object
- Astronomy was a major part of early alchemy, and during the classical era, each planet was thought to “rule” over its associated metal
- Its position in the sky and proximity to other planets affecting the metal’s properties
Air
Air is an upward triangle bisected by a horizontal line, and is often associated with the colors white and blue
Sulfur
Also known as brimstone, sulfur is the active male counterpart to mercury
- Used as traditional medicine in places ranging from China to Egypt to Europe, and is mentioned in both the Torah and the Bible
- In alchemy, sulfur represented evaporation, expansion, and dissolution, and in human body it represented the soul
Gold
Symbolized perfection
Mundane Elements
These are more recent additions to alchemy, and don’t have as long a history as some of the other elements.
How Have Alchemy Symbols Been Used?
Alchemists have used symbols to represent different elements since the beginning of alchemy
- Symbols helped alchemists keep their work, much of which was carefully guarded, secret from non-alchemists
- Many alchemy element symbols are connected to planets or celestial bodies
