Exploring the ancient chemistry of mercury

Our research approach in the field of History of Science combines textual investigations with experimental replications of ancient alchemical procedures. Alchemy is often described as a pseudoscience, whereas it would be better described as a protoscience; indeed, we have reported procedures that never found their way into modern laboratories along with the formalization and translation of these procedures into the modern language of chemistry. We strongly believe that it is important to let the chemistry community know its history, which has deep roots in the past.