There have been many rituals and magical practices throughout history, some more bizarre than others. While alchemists were busy searching for the Philosopher's Stone and the Elixir of Immortality, some magicians experimented and looked for ways to find hidden treasures. It is said that much research, experimentation and ritual took place in the great library of Alexandria, some of which led to the creation of such fantastic creations as the Sphinx.
Many magic rituals
Magical rituals are not a myth, they did exist. While ritual rituals were performed for their symbolic meaning, magical rituals had a dual role: both symbolic and aimed at obtaining a specific result and desired change.
Historical documents describe countless magical rituals, practices and techniques, specifying the details: inscriptions, temples, sanctuaries and special tools designed for such purposes. Over time, a separate branch in archeology emerged, which is engaged in the search, research and interpretation of such things.
From the Celts to African tribes, from the legendary inhabitants of Atlantis to the ancient Egyptians, from witches in Europe to Yin-Yang masters in China and Japan; from alchemists involved in converting common metal into pure gold to Voodoo priests; from sorcerers and sorcerers to Mayan and Aztec priests; all of them used magical rituals, wishing to obtain certain benefits and to make everyday life easier.
The creation of the philosopher's stone and immortality
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The Magnum Opus (great work) is an alchemical process designed to create the Philosopher's Stone. The original substance was represented symbolically in the form of an egg, which contains the answers to all questions, and with which it was believed that ordinary metal could be transformed into gold.
It was assumed that using the stone in certain special procedures, it was possible to obtain the elixir of life, and the drinker would become immortal. Many European, Arab and Chinese alchemists have claimed to have discovered it. In Asia, especially in China, many emperors asked for this elixir to be brought to them so that they could rule in their states forever. However, when the elixir was brought to them and drunk, they instantly died. The dream of eternal life brought them nothing but death.
Alchemists associate The Magnum Opus with a symbolic transmutation through which a person could develop spiritually. However, they believed that it was a physical and chemical process that occurs through a balanced combination of magic and science.
A page from an alchemical treatise of the 16th century.
Photo: Public Domain
Initially, the process was associated with 4 colors, each of which represented the result of a specific transformation of each phase. Nigredo (blackening) characterized the first phase. The second phase included albedo (whitening). The third phase was represented by citrinitas (yellowish whiteness); and the last phase included rubedo (redness).
Alchemy was not limited to men. Zosimos, a Gnostic writer from Panopolis, mentions in his writings the first female alchemist in history, known as Mary the Jewess, who was well aware of the four transformations characterized by the primary colors of the alchemists.
How to live forever
Four colors were obtained as a result of certain processes. Many texts, such as Tabula Smaragdina or Mutus Liber, describe these processes, the number of which usually ranges from 7 to 14, encrypted recipes for creating a philosopher's stone were offered.
According to the English alchemist Georges Riplay, there are 12 steps in the creation of a philosopher's stone: calcination, dissolution, separation, connection, decay, hardening, cibation, sublimation, fermentation, exaltation, augmentation and projection. Different alchemists have different methods.
Philosopher's Stone at Atalanta Fugiens Emblem 21.
Photo: Public Domain
There have been many alchemists in history who claimed to have found the Philosopher's Stone. The most significant of these was Nicholas Flamel of Saint Germain. He bought a cheap book written by an Arab alchemist. He managed to decipher the secret of the illustrations in the book and use them to create the Philosopher's Stone. They say that the alchemist is still alive and continues his experiments in a secret laboratory.
Whether they discovered the Philosopher's Stone or not, many of the physical, chemical and medical discoveries that continue to be extremely useful today are made by alchemists.
Alchemical water bath (double), invented by Mary the Jewess in 1528.
Photo: Public Domain
Solomon's Key
There is a legend that King Solomon managed to subdue angels, demons and genies to his will. He entrusted them with various tasks: from building a temple to protecting gold mines and diamond mines. They say that the king could do all this with the help of the legendary book Clavicula Salomonis ("Key of Solomon"), which described the rituals and spells with which the initiate could summon spirits
The Key of Solomon manuscript depicts one of the magical figures identified as a large pentagram, the same is found in a 17th century Italian manuscript in the Bodleian Library Michael MS. 276, where you can read: “This is the main pentacle, called the Grand Pentacle, it should be written on lamb skin paper or on parchment that has a greenish tint. The circle with 72 divine letters should be red and the letters gold. The letters inside the magic figure should be red or sky blue, with the great name of God in gold. This is done to summon the spirits, then they will bow down to you and be submissive."
Photo: Public Domain
It is said that at the court of King Solomon, people, angels, demons and genies were gathered and arranged according to their rank and position. Each played his role and performed a specific task, and in case of an error he personally reported to the king. The book A Thousand and One Nights tells of the punishment of a genie who made the king angry. For this, the genie, using the magic formulas contained in the book, was imprisoned in a bottle and thrown into the sea.
Mighty and wise king Solomon
In accordance with the literature of Judaism, Solomon, for his modesty, received the right to command spirits and animals, since in his prayers he asked only for wisdom, and not material wealth. Thus, the demons regularly brought him gems that increased Solomon's wealth and glory, and his kingdom flourished. In addition to the magic book, Solomon also owned a magic ring known as the seal of Solomon. This ring gave him power over the demons, and it was even thought that with its help the king could catch and force Asmodeus himself, the king of demons, to obey the will of Solomon.
King Solomon with Queen Sheba, painting by Edward Poynter, 1890
Photo: Public Domain
The legend says that the Temple of Solomon was built by angels and demons. The stones used for the construction were carved by Shamir - a worm capable of cutting through a stone, brought from heaven at the command of Solomon. Solomon also subdued the two chained demons Uzza and Azazel to his will and forced them to reveal all the secrets he wanted to know. For "educational purposes," Solomon ordered the demons to take some of his friends on a day trip to hell.
Thus, in the history of mankind, science was mixed with magic; objective research supported magical rituals; government policy went hand in hand with spells and witchcraft. All of this worked together to help a person achieve his goals. Even if the philosopher's stone and the elixir of immortality have not yet been found, the legendary book "The Key of Solomon" has been lost, and the techniques of alchemists have been forgotten, nevertheless, all these things served as the basis for the discoveries used until now.
Source: Ancient Origins
