- originated in Alexandria in the 3rd or 2nd century BCE

- the word literally refers to the general practice of early chemistry, from Arabic Al Kimia (the chemistry)

- also identified as the Black Soil Art and the Egyptian Art because of the Egyptian root chem (black)

- the origin of the word may also be partly related to the Greek chyma (the casting and fusing of metals) and Hebrew chamaman (mystery)

- India and China also practiced a version of Alchemy which focused on prolonging human life

- Chinese Taoist alchemists attempted to uncover the secrets of both spiritual and physical longevity by using "Gold" elixirs and immortality magic

- earliest records were written in Greek and found in Egypt

- later Alchemy was recorded in Arabic, and the earliest-known translations were made during the 12th century

- Most famous alchemical treatises were written in Latin

- Alchemy’s Golden Age is considered to be the period of the Late Middle Ages and the Renaissance, when numerous important texts were made in Latin and modern European languages

- after the 17th century Alchemy fell into decline, because of the growing domination of the rational sciences

- 20th century psychologist Carl Jung redefined Alchemy by equating its most significant concepts to his psychological theories

- Maria Prophetissa was one of the most famous alchemists. Many considered her to be the legendary sister of Moses. Her contributions to the Sacred Art include the enigmatic axiom of the Four and the One and the invention of several useful chemical apparatuses

- Other famous alchemists include:
Zosimus, lab-worker and official in the Byzantine Empire
Roger Bacon, philosopher and scientist
Paracelsus, medical doctor
Johannes Kepler, physicist and astronomer
Dr. Robert Fludd, Kepler’s contemporary
Thomas Aquinas, philosopher
Michael Maier, mystic and a medical doctor
Isaac Newton, the father of Classical Mechanics and Calculus