Nizami on Alchemy

Abstract

Alchemy, developing in Ancient Egypt and its environs, was formed during the Islamic age as the branch of science and technology, nurturing at the same time mysticism and occultism. The transmutation of base metals into noble metals and attempts to achieve immortality or rejuvenation by an elixir or the philosophers stone have been expansively reflected in Eastern literature and folklore. Nizami Ganjavi, a prominent representative of the twelfth century Azerbaijani literary school and writing in Persian, often refers to alchemy and alchemists, encompassing various issues. Distinct images of alchemy were rendered in his Khamsa poems and other lyrics, moreover, he created multi-faceted alchemical metaphors to describe transformations within humanity.