Anthony Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ritva Kurittu Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Yes, I'm aware that independent development
> does
> > occur. But... sen that alchemy is very much
> in the
> > same group of "arts" as Hermeticism and
> Gnosticism
> > are, and knowing that those have teir roots
> in AE,
>
>
>
> They do?
>
> From what I can tell, these philosophies developed
> their peculiar take on "physics" in a time when
> hieroglyphs were illegible to the people who
> actually invented Hermeticism and Gnosticism.
>
> Doesn't this seem to preclude AE philosophies in
> the development of alchemical doctrine?


Whoops. A slight error there. Hermeticism and Gnosticism have definitive roots in AE. Especially the former: Hermeticism is based on the principles of Hermes Trismegistus, which in Greek is literally a reference to Thoth, the Thrice Great. No one disputes that these two forms are rooted in ancient Egypt, so we can say for sure the Arabs did not 'invent it'.


>
>
>
>
> > I don't think it is too far fetched to see a
> link
> > from alchemy to AE.
>
>
> For the reasons shown above, I disagree.
>
> However, if I recall, there is one Arabic
> alchemist who seems to have a rudimentary
> (possibly more) understanding of hieroglyphs,
> dating back to the tenth century... I think...
> from a failing memory. This, however, is still
> not evidence of a hard link.


The reference you are looking for is: Okasha, El-Daly, 'Egyptology: The Missing Millenium', UCL Press (British Edition), 2005. The Arabic scholar in question did have a firm grasp on AE hieroglyps as can be evidenced by how Champollion used the former's work to solve he glyphs. Highly recommended book.



> Focusing on "transformation" is only one element
> of alchemy. There really isn't anything else that
> connects them, from what I can really tell.

This is where I agree. But one thing seems to be being missed on both sides. It was not that alchemy was a whole new invention, nor was it a revival of original philosophies (per se), rather, alchemy was an evolved version of the original.