Scientific Meetings by Michèle Mertens
The study of alchemy in Byzantium has been advancing during the last few decades, as indicated by... more The study of alchemy in Byzantium has been advancing during the last few decades, as indicated by the gradual increase in the number of publications, research projects, and doctoral dissertations that examine (or include the examination of) alchemical topics in a Byzantine context. This workshop is the first scientific event that focuses exclusively on alchemy in Byzantium and delves systematically into various of its dimensions. It builds on the dynamics of the field, aiming to provide an interdisciplinary platform for discussion between scholars specializing in Byzantine alchemy and scholars from diverse fields whose knowledge and insights will substantially aid the understanding of the peculiarities of alchemy in Byzantium.
The workshop is an activity of the research project “Alchemy in Byzantium” of the Institute of Historical Research, National Hellenic Research Foundation (coordinator: Gerasimos Merianos). It is also the first of a series of scientific events on the history of alchemy, labeled “Alchemical Dialogues”, an initiative undertaken in collaboration with Matteo Martelli, University of Bologna.
Workshop organizer
Gerasimos Merianos, National Hellenic Research Foundation
Organizing assistant
Vangelis Koutalis, University of Ioannina
Papers by Michèle Mertens
L'Antiquité Classique, 1989
Mertens Michèle. Garth Fowden, The Egyptian Hermes. A historical Approach to the late pagan Mind.... more Mertens Michèle. Garth Fowden, The Egyptian Hermes. A historical Approach to the late pagan Mind. In: L'antiquité classique, Tome 58, 1989. pp. 407-409
The main concern of this paper will be with the problems raised by the reception of ancient alche... more The main concern of this paper will be with the problems raised by the reception of ancient alchemy in Byzantium. After a brief introduction, I will start from the study of a pre-Byzantine author, Zosimos of Panopolis, and deal with the following questions : How, from a purely material viewpoint, were Zosimos' writings handed down during the Byzantine period? Did Byzantine alchemists have access to his works and did they resort to them? Was Zosimos known outside the alchemical Corpus; in other words, did Graeco-Egyptian alchemists exert any kind of influence outside strictly alchemical circles? When and how was the alchemical Corpus put together? In a more general way, what evidence do we have, whether in the Corpus itself or in non-alchemical literature, that alchemy was practised in Byzantium? Answers (or at least partial answers) to these questions should help us to understand and define to some extent the place held by the 'sacred art' in Byzantium.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, Oct 26, 2012
L'Antiquité Classique, 2001
Mertens Michèle. Andrée Colinet (Éd.), Les alchimistes grecs. Tome X. L'Anonyme de Zuretti ou... more Mertens Michèle. Andrée Colinet (Éd.), Les alchimistes grecs. Tome X. L'Anonyme de Zuretti ou l'Art sacré et divin de la chrysopée par un anonyme. In: L'antiquité classique, Tome 70, 2001. pp. 558-559
Revue de l'histoire des religions, 1988
An Instance of alchemical Initiation : the « Letter of Isis to Horus » In keeping with the practi... more An Instance of alchemical Initiation : the « Letter of Isis to Horus » In keeping with the practices customary in occult sciences during the first centuries AD, the short alchemical Greek treatise known as the "Letter of Isis to Horus" presents the secret recipe for the preparation of gold and silver as the result of an act of revelation. A number of themes characterizing late minor literature can be detected in it : initiation in exchange for a sexual favour, the oath of the initiate, the law of silence, and transmission of the secret to one's son only. In the present article, these themes are examined in the light of their connections with the "Corpus Hermeticum", astrology, Gnosis and, particularly, magical papyri.
BRILL eBooks, Mar 18, 2002
Revue De L Histoire Des Religions, 1988
Pensa MultiMedia, 2021
Peer reviewe
Perspectives on Panopolis: An Egyptian town from Alexander the Great to the Arab Conquest, 2002
Chronique d'Egypte, 1989
Pourquoi Isis est-elle appelée TTp0<pflTlS ? c ONSERVÉ a u sein du Corpus des alchimistes grecs (... more Pourquoi Isis est-elle appelée TTp0<pflTlS ? c ONSERVÉ a u sein du Corpus des alchimistes grecs (1) se trouve un co urt traité intitulé Isis la prophétesse il son {ils (2). Cet opuscule, dont l'a uteur est resté a nonyme, fut très probablement rédigé en Égy pte à la fin du Il e ou a u début du lII e siècle a près J.-C. Isis y révèle à Horus, sous forme de lettre, le secret de la préparation de l'or et de l' argent ainsi que les circo nstances dans lesqu elles ell e aurait app ris ce secret de la bouche d'un ange nomm é Amnaël (3). Le titre de prophétesse que porte ici la déesse égy ptienn e n 'est pas sans poser problème : à ma connaissance, c'est le seul document où ell e soit ainsi qualifiée (4). Dès lors, s'il n'entre pas dans mon propos d'étudier la notion de n(lo-CP177:1JÇ sous toutes ses facettes-le sujet est extrêmement vaste, et , a u demeurant, il a déjà ét é traité (5)-, je voudrais néa nmoins en épingler certains aspects et signaler qu elqu es textes qui peuvent a id er à comprendre l' emp loi de cette appellation appliquée à Isis. Pour mieux cern er le sens du mot n(locp17i17Ç dans l'Égypte grécoromain e, il est intéressa nt de remonter à son ancêtre pharaonique. II(lo-CP177:17Ç est en effet le t erm e dont les Grecs se sont servis pour traduire l' expression égyptienne bm-nlr, signifiant (, prêtre » (littéralement (, ser-(1) Voir M. BERTHELOT-C. E. RUELLE , Colleelion des an ciens alchimisles grecs, 3 vol. (Paris, 1888), cité par la suite CAG. (2) CA G Il , p. 28-35. Nouvelle éd ition en préparation par mes soins. Voir le titre dans le Paris. gr. 2327 (= A), qui est le témoin le plus autori sé pour l'ét ab li ssement cie ce texte, fol. 2561': T IOEl ç n(!oq!1)uÇ (-l)r'I'Jç A) HP v[cp avû'iç (al' rijç A).
L Antiquite Classique, 2001
Mertens Michèle. Andrée Colinet (Éd.), Les alchimistes grecs. Tome X. L'Anonyme de Zuretti ou... more Mertens Michèle. Andrée Colinet (Éd.), Les alchimistes grecs. Tome X. L'Anonyme de Zuretti ou l'Art sacré et divin de la chrysopée par un anonyme. In: L'antiquité classique, Tome 70, 2001. pp. 558-559
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Scientific Meetings by Michèle Mertens
The workshop is an activity of the research project “Alchemy in Byzantium” of the Institute of Historical Research, National Hellenic Research Foundation (coordinator: Gerasimos Merianos). It is also the first of a series of scientific events on the history of alchemy, labeled “Alchemical Dialogues”, an initiative undertaken in collaboration with Matteo Martelli, University of Bologna.
Workshop organizer
Gerasimos Merianos, National Hellenic Research Foundation
Organizing assistant
Vangelis Koutalis, University of Ioannina
Papers by Michèle Mertens
The workshop is an activity of the research project “Alchemy in Byzantium” of the Institute of Historical Research, National Hellenic Research Foundation (coordinator: Gerasimos Merianos). It is also the first of a series of scientific events on the history of alchemy, labeled “Alchemical Dialogues”, an initiative undertaken in collaboration with Matteo Martelli, University of Bologna.
Workshop organizer
Gerasimos Merianos, National Hellenic Research Foundation
Organizing assistant
Vangelis Koutalis, University of Ioannina