The introduction of alchemy to the west came in the 8th Century when the Arabs brought it to Spain. From here it quickly spread to the rest of Europe. The Arabian belief was that metals are made up of mercury and sulfur in varying proportions.

What period was the alchemy era?

Although the seeds of these events were planted as early as the 17th century, alchemy still flourished for some two hundred years, and in fact may have reached its peak in the 18th century. As late as 1781 James Price claimed to have produced a powder that could transmute mercury into silver or gold.

Who first practiced alchemy?

The History of Alchemy. Ancient Civilisations: c. 2000BC: The first people to experiment with science were the Egyptians and Babylonians, who applied their skills in a practical manner, without considering the theory of the processes involved.