![]() ![]() ![]() The famous legend of Saint George tells of his defeat over an evil dragon that demanded human sacrifices, and as such, he remains a prominent figure and patron saint of many regions across Europe to this day. In Europe, dragons are often used as a symbol of regal power, but they can also symbolize evil in Christian traditions. There are various depictions and descriptions of dragons depending on their origins, but their unifying features are their fire breathing abilities and their scaley, serpent-like bodies. This most famous mythical creature appears in folklore from Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The most famous example is probably from Paolo Cohelo’s bestselling book, The Alchemist, as well as Harry Potter’s famed alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, the inventor of the Sorcerer’s Stone. In fiction, alchemists have been mythologized and often appear as wise and mysterious characters capable of performing the seemingly impossible through a mixture of science, mythology, and magic. Alchemists are also known to have explored the medicinal properties of elements in the hunt for a cure for disease and a way to prolong human life. Rather than holding a magic wand and chanting a few verses, alchemists practice science and experimentation to achieve magical results.ĭuring medieval times, alchemy was practiced in the real world as a chemical science and speculative philosophy that transformed base metals into gold. The Oxford dictionary defines an alchemist as “a person who transforms or creates something through a seemingly magical process.” But that doesn’t mean that all magicians are alchemists. ![]()
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