Studies in al-Kimya'
Subtitle: critical issues in Latin and Arabic alchemy and chemistry
By: Ahmad Y. al-Hassan
Series: Texte und Studien zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte -- Bd. 4; Texte und Studien zur Wissenschaftsgeschichte -- Bd. 4.
Publisher: Olms
Published: 2009
Place of publication: Hildesheim; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 320
ISBN-13: 9783487142739
Subjects: Organic Chemistry; Latin Manuscripts; Alchemy; Arabic Manuscripts; Agricultural chemistry; History; Manuscripts, Latin (Medieval and modern)
Description: "This book discusses eight critical issues in the history of Latin and Arabic alchemy and chemistry, which are currently accepted without concrete evidence, and are based mainly on conjecture.The essays in the book are based on extensive research into Arabic manuscripts and Latin literature. The results of this research are challenging. They prove the Arabic origin of the Summa Perfectionis and the other Geber Latin works. Thus the prevailing conjectures about assumed Latin authors are refuted on the basis of ample evidence. The book discusses the Arabic original of Liber de compositione alchimiae that was the first treatise on alchemy to appear in the West. It brings into light for the first time Jabir's book of recipes on the colouring of glass and his other chemical industrial recipes. An essay discusses potassium nitrate and nitric acid in Arabic and Latin sources. Both were known before the 13th century. Explosive gunpowder with the ideal formula and portable cannon were known in Arabic military treatises in the 13th century. The book gives an essay on the distillation of wine and alcohol since the eighth century. The final essay is on the composition of Damascus steel."--Publisher's description.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: Arabic alchemy: 'Ilm al-San 'a (science of the art); title: The Arabic original of Liber de compositione alchimiae: the Epistle of Maryanus, the hermit and philosopher, to Prince Khalid ibn Yazid; title: The Arabic origin of the Summa and Geber Latin works: a refutation of Berthelot, Ruska and Newman based on Arabic sources; title: Arabic industrial chemistry; title: Industrial chemistry in Kitab al-Khawass al-Kabir (The great book of properties) of Jabir ibn Hayyan; title: An eighth-century Arabic book of recipes on the colouring of glass, the manufacturing of pearls and other industrial products: Kitab Al-Durra Al-Maknuna (The book of the hidden pearl) of Jabir ibn Hayyan (c. 721-c. 815); title: Potassium nitrate and nitric acid in Arabic and Latin sources; title: Gunpowder composition for rockets and cannon in Arabic military treaties in the 13th and 14th centuries; title: Alcohol and the distillation of wine in Arabic sources from the 8th century; title: Damascus steel in medieval Arabic sources.