ALCHEMVIENNA

"Alchemical Manuscripts in Medical Vienna, 14th-17th century"

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'In the late medieval and early modern period, most learned men were fascinated with natural philosophy, the inquiry into the workings of nature. Vienna was among the key places in Central Europe where inquisitive minds met to practice a nature- or medicine-related profession. With its central position in continental Europe, its natural resources (including a long-standing mining tradition) and university, Vienna was also a prime location for alchemical and medical discovery, and many Austrian noblemen investigated the possibility of reviving a faltering economy with the help of alchemists. Medical doctors in and beyond the University of Vienna showed an interest in the use of alchemically produced remedies at various points in history, which eventually resulted in the development of pharmacy as we know it today. Alchemy was a craft and theoretical system that was as ubiquitous as it was debated. However, the history of medico-alchemical Vienna (and hence, Central Europe) written to date is far from complete, and shows one crucial oversight: the Viennese collections of alchemical manuscripts dating from the 14th to the 17th century have not been studied in detail by historians of science at all. This project is going to amend this situation by writing the history of alchemical inquiry and its intersections with medicine in Austria on the basis of Viennese manuscript materials. The project will be undertaken by Anke Timmermann, a young alchemical historian currently active in Philadelphia, USA. She will be working in the environment of the Medical University of Vienna, within the program section entitled “The collections of the Medical University of Vienna”, and utilize its collections of early printed books as reference points for the investigation of the alchemical manuscripts. Altogether, this project will inform our understanding of the relevance of Vienna and Austria to the natural philosophical world of the late medieval and early modern period.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Significant Viennese mediaeval alchemical manuscripts have been brought to light for the first time.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

A fascination with natural philosophy was common in the Late Mediaeval and early modern periods of history. Vienna, Austria, with its position in central Europe, natural resources and university was a prime location for alchemical discovery. The use of alchemy as a craft and theoretical system helped to create the pharmacy of today. Yet, despite their significance, historians of science have not studied the Viennese collections of alchemical manuscripts dating from the 14th to the 17th centuries.

To ameliorate this, the EU-funded project 'Alchemical manuscripts in medical Vienna, 14th-17th century' (ALCHEMVIENNA) has written the history of alchemical exploration and its connection with medicine in Austria based on Viennese manuscripts. It was discovered that the several hundred manuscripts are more abundant in alchemical resources than previously thought.

Among many of the findings was that ways of generating new information about substances and chemical products took place primarily in the 15th and 16th centuries. Additionally, two 16th century medical doctors' manuscripts and involvements with alchemy were analysed.

Results of the project have been presented at academic conferences as well as disseminated to the general public via various media channels. The work highlighted the need for catalogues in the Austrian National Library collection to be re-evaluated to include the texts not recorded thus far. It also provides material for future study for researchers in the fields of history of science and intellectual and institutional history.