Alchemical symbol
Alchemic symbols, originally devised as part of the protoscience of alchemy, were used to denote some elements and some compounds until the 18th century. Note that while notation like this was mostly standardized, style and symbol varied between alchemists, so this page lists the most common.
Seven Planetary Metals
Seven Planetary Metals
Planetary metals were “dominated” or “ruled” by one of the seven planets known by the ancients. Although they occasionally have a symbol of their own (denoted by also:), they were usually symbolized by the planet’s symbol.
- Gold dominated by Sol ☉ ☼ ( File:Sun symbol.svg )
- Silver dominated by Luna ☽ ( File:Crescent.svg )
- Copper dominated by Venus ♀ (also: File:Copper symbol.svg )
- Iron dominated by Mars ♂ ( File:Mars symbol.svg )
- Tin dominated by Jupiter ♃ ( File:Jupiter symbol.svg )
- Mercury (Quicksilver) dominated by Mercury ☿ (
) - Lead dominated by Saturn ♄ ( File:Saturn symbol.svg )
The planets Uranus, Neptune, and the Dwarf Planet Pluto were discovered after the time Alchemy had been largely replaced by Chemistry, and are not part of traditional Alchemical symbols. Some modern alchemists consider the symbols for these planets to represent the radioactive metals Uranium, Neptunium and Plutonium, respectively.
Mundane Elements
Mundane Elements
Alchemical Compounds
Alchemical Compounds
- Sal ammoniac *
- Aqua Fortis A.F.
- Aqua Regia A.R.
- Spirit of Wine S.V.
- Amalgama
- Cinnabar (Mercury sulfide) File:Cinnabar Symbol.svg
- Vitriol
12 Core Alchemical processes
12 Core Alchemical processes
The 12 Alchemical processes are considered to be the basis of modern Chemical processes. Each of these processes is “dominated” or “ruled” by one of the 12 Zodiac signs.
- Decomposition through Calcination (Aries File:Aries.svg)
- Decomposition through Digestion (Leo File:Leo.svg)
- Decomposition through Fermentation/Putrefaction (CapricornFile:Capricorn.svg)
- Modification through Congelation/Coagulation (Taurus File:Taurus.svg)
- Modification through Fixation (Gemini File:Gemini.svg)
- Modification through Ceration (Sagittarius File:Sagittarius.svg)
- Separation through Distillation (Virgo File:Virgo.svg)
- Separation through Sublimation (Libra File:Libra.svg)
- Separation through Filtration (Scorpio File:Scorpio.svg)
- Union through Solution (Cancer File:Cancer.svg)
- Union through Multiplication (Aquarius File:Aquarius.svg)
- Union through Projection (Pisces File:Pisces.svg)
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