The Forge and the Crucible: The Origins and Structure of Alchemy (Paperback)

by Mircea Eliade (Author) "IT WAS inevitable that meteorites should inspire awe..." (more)
Key Phrases: petra genitrix, opus alchymicum, celestial smith, New York, Iron Age, Michael Maier (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Primitive man's discovery of the ability to change matter from one state to another brought about a profound change in spiritual behavior. In The Forge and the Crucible, Mircea Eliade follows the ritualistic adventures of these ancient societies, adventures rooted in the people's awareness of an awesome new power.

The new edition of The Forge and the Crucible contains an updated appendix, in which Eliade lists works on Chinese alchemy published in the past few years. He also discusses the importance of alchemy in Newton's scientific evolution.

Language Notes
Text: English, French (translation)

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Product Details Paperback: 238 pages Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 2 edition (March 15, 1979) Language: English ISBN-10: 0226203905 ISBN-13: 978-0226203904 Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #135,914 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
IT WAS inevitable that meteorites should inspire awe. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
petra genitrix, opus alchymicum, celestial smith, heavenly smith, embryonic respiration, civilizing hero, univers imaginaire, alchemical operation, alchemical symbolism, meteoric iron, early chemistry, metallurgical operations, alchemical texts, metallurgical techniques, elixir vitae, artificial fertilization, first smith, vegetable species

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Iron Age, Michael Maier, Middle Ages, John Read, Julius Ruska, Max Kaltenmark, Near East, Campbell Thompson, Die Metalle, Marcel Granet, Sherwood Taylor, Stone Age, Albert-Marie Schmidt, K'un Lun, Pao Pu'tzu, Arcana Artis, Eranos Jahrbuch, Jules Bloch, Negro Africa, Terra Mater, Ts'an T'ung Ch'i, Tsou Yen, Wolfgang Schneider

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 36 books:

• Prelude to Chemistry by John Read on 6 pages
• The Rosicrucian Enlightenment (Routledge Classics) by Frances A Yates on 4 pages
• Study of Chinese Alchemy by Obed Simon Johnson on page 115, page 125, and Back Matter
• Children of the Sun: The Story of the Cabeza de Vaca Expedition across America, A Novel by I. Mac Perry on page 27, page 45, and Back Matter
• John Dee: The World of an Elizabethan Magus by Peter J. French in Front Matter, and Back Matter

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4 books cite this book:

• Freud and Jung on Religion by Michael Palmer in Back Matter
• What Painting Is by James Elkins in Back Matter
• An Endless Trace: The Passionate Pursuit of Wisdom in the West by Christopher Bamford in Back Matter
• The Occult in Russian and Soviet Culture by Bernice Glatzer Rosenthal on page 293

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Books on Related Topics (learn more)

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The Portable Jung by Carl G. Jung Discusses: opus alchymicum alchemical symbolism alchemical texts 777 And Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley by Aleister Crowley Discusses: alchemical symbolism alchemical texts elixir vitae Ego and Archetype by Edward Edinger Discusses: alchemical operation alchemical symbolism elixir vitae Alchemical Active Imagination by Marie-Louise von Franz Discusses: alchemical operation alchemical symbolism alchemical texts Loading...

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4 Reviews 5 star:  (3) 4 star:    (0) 3 star:  (1) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 51 of 52 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introductions to a fascinating subject, December 10, 2001 By  M. Scott "pinkpoet" (Canberra, ACT Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)    If I had my time over again I would read these three books on alchemy in the following order: All of them are excellent in their own sphere to introduce a complex process. (1) The Forge and the Crucible - Eliade This is an excellent prehistory of alchemy showing the patterns of thought out of which Alchemy most probably arose. An easy read. (2) Anatomy of the Soul - Edinger Set out according to seven processes involved in alchemy Calcinatio, Solutio, Coagulatio, Sublimatio, Mortificatio, Separatio, Coniunctio, this is an accessible book that puts each process in reasonably neat boxes, (though the considerable overlap and intermingling is acknowledged). The approach is somewhat mechanical. (3) Alchemy, an Introduction... - Von Franz. More 'organic' than Edinger, Von Franz has a very warm and human touch. She deals with the origins of alchemy in Egypt and Greece and delves into the 'Aurora Consurgens', attributed to Aquinas. She includes relevent and interesting case material. Being a transcription of lectures, it is a little haphazard, though none the less informative for that. 18 of 19 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars TAKING A GLANCE TO THE MYSTERIES OF ALCHEMY, November 23, 2000 By  Robert (Buenos Aires, Capital Federal Argentina) - See all my reviews Lucidly and masterly written, this study on the origins and meaning of ancient Alchemy is a highly useful and recommendable one. As always, M. Eliade has collected a vast amount of data concerning this issue and has reached far-reaching conclusions as for the value, the role and the meaning of the otherwise rather vague world of Alchemy. Very important for anyone interested in knowing about the theme. 5 of 7 people found the following review helpful: 3.0 out of 5 stars strong on ideas, research inconsistent, May 19, 2007 By  Narizdura La Carretera (El Lay, USA) - See all my reviews As usual Eliade spins wonderful philosophical and spiritual ideas laid over history. And they make engrossing reading. I don't know how much one can trust the historical facts cited throughout this work. For example Eliade says the earliest known metallurgy was in the mountains of Armenia in 1200-1200 BC. In fact it is now widely accepted that the Ban Chiang (present-day NE Thailand) was forging bronze tools and ornaments at least by 2200 BC, possibly earlier. Still, well worth reading for the ideas.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars The ideal introduction to alchemy for the novice This was my third book by Eliade, but certainly not the last. Eliade was a professor of the history of religions at the University of Chicago, among other things, but he was also... Read more Published 8 months ago by The Northern Light Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 2 edition (March 15, 1979)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226203905
• ISBN-13: 978-0226203904
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #135,914 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introductions to a fascinating subject, December 10, 2001

By	M. Scott "pinkpoet" (Canberra, ACT Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If I had my time over again I would read these three books on alchemy in the following order: All of them are excellent in their own sphere to introduce a complex process.

(1) The Forge and the Crucible - Eliade
This is an excellent prehistory of alchemy showing the patterns of thought out of which Alchemy most probably arose. An easy read.

(2) Anatomy of the Soul - Edinger
Set out according to seven processes involved in alchemy Calcinatio, Solutio, Coagulatio, Sublimatio, Mortificatio, Separatio, Coniunctio, this is an accessible book that puts each process in reasonably neat boxes, (though the considerable overlap and intermingling is acknowledged). The approach is somewhat mechanical.

(3) Alchemy, an Introduction... - Von Franz.
More 'organic' than Edinger, Von Franz has a very warm and human touch. She deals with the origins of alchemy in Egypt and Greece and delves into the 'Aurora Consurgens', attributed to Aquinas. She includes relevent and interesting case material. Being a transcription of lectures, it is a little haphazard, though none the less informative for that.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars TAKING A GLANCE TO THE MYSTERIES OF ALCHEMY, November 23, 2000

By	Robert (Buenos Aires, Capital Federal Argentina) - See all my reviews

Lucidly and masterly written, this study on the origins and meaning of ancient Alchemy is a highly useful and recommendable one. As always, M. Eliade has collected a vast amount of data concerning this issue and has reached far-reaching conclusions as for the value, the role and the meaning of the otherwise rather vague world of Alchemy. Very important for anyone interested in knowing about the theme.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars strong on ideas, research inconsistent, May 19, 2007

By	Narizdura La Carretera (El Lay, USA) - See all my reviews

As usual Eliade spins wonderful philosophical and spiritual ideas laid over history. And they make engrossing reading. I don't know how much one can trust the historical facts cited throughout this work. For example Eliade says the earliest known metallurgy was in the mountains of Armenia in 1200-1200 BC. In fact it is now widely accepted that the Ban Chiang (present-day NE Thailand) was forging bronze tools and ornaments at least by 2200 BC, possibly earlier.

Still, well worth reading for the ideas.