Showing posts with label Questions for Chip Ahoy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Questions for Chip Ahoy. Show all posts

Friday, December 12, 2014

Questions For Chip

The chart below is a precursor to the modern periodic table. The chart dates from 1718 according to Wiki. It teaches how the then-known "elements"* combined with each other. The top row identifies an element and the columns contain those elements with which it combines. Note that sulfur (middle column, the one with the triangle and the dangling cross) was considered the most promiscuous element, consistent with its primacy as the "soul" of matter according to alchemy:

Click to enlarge or see link above
I wondered whether Chip recognized any of these symbols as Egyptian in origin and if so, to which words and concepts are they related?
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*Here are my translations of the "elements" from the French in the chart.  Feel free to correct me:
Esprit acides : Acidic (acerbic) spirits
Acide du sel marin: Lit. acid of sea salt, HCl (which was thought to contain oxygen until Davy showed otherwise: link)
Acide nitreux: Nitric and nitrous acids, HNO3, HNO2
Acide vitriolique: Sulfuric and sulfurous acids, derived from oleum & vitriol.
Sel alcali fixe: Sodium & potassium hydroxides and carbonates.
Sel alcali volatil: Sal ammoniac, NH4Cl, which sublimes and was endlessly fascinating.
Terre absorbante: Silicates (sand) and diatomaceous earth.
Substances metalliques: Metallic substances
Mercure: Mercury was considered to be the spirit of matter.
Regule d'Antimoine: Regulus of antimony -- metallic antimony. Regulus means "little King"
Or: Gold
Argent: Silver
Cuivre: Copper
Fer: Iron
Plomb: lead
Etain: Tin
Zinc
Pierre Calaminaire: Lit. calamine stone, i.e., calamine ore. Note the French place name.
Soufre mineral: Sulfur or brimstone.  This material held a special place in alchemy, along with mercury and salt.
Principe huileux ou Soufre: The oily essence of organic substances from plants, also called the "sulfur." See the interesting discussion under Spagyric.
Esprit de vinaigre: Vinegar or acetic acid
Eau: water
Sel: Salt held a special place in alchemy along with mercury and sulfur.  
Esprit de vin et Esprit ardents: Any of the flammable alcohols derived from fermentation, e.g., ethanol, methanol, etc.