Article ID: CBB168722705

Snapshots of chemical practices in Ancient Egypt (2018)

unapi

This article gives a historical overview of a number of chemical practices carried out by the Ancient Egyptians and shows that beyond being purely empirical, in more than one instance their methods suggest an understanding of the rudiments of modern day chemistry. A close analysis of some of their preparations indicates that Ancient Egyptians were familiar with the principles of oxidation and reduction, could control the pH of a solution and were successful in preparing novel compounds through a controlled technology of chemical synthesis. In the latter endeavor it is shown that these Ancient people embraced the scientific method, preceding Aristotle’s rejection in Ancient Greece of a purely deductive approach to scientific enquiry. Egyptian Blue, the only pigment synthesized by the Ancient Egyptians is also discussed, and attention is drawn to its potential future contributions to modern high-tech applications.

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Authors & Contributors
Martelli, Matteo
Fabiana Lopes da Silveira
Cesteros, Miriam Blanco
Christopher Braun
Roberts, Alison M.
Tsoucalas, Gregory
Concepts
Alchemy
Science and religion
Chemistry
Astronomy
Technology
Transmission of texts
Time Periods
Ancient
Early modern
17th century
Renaissance
Medieval
18th century
Places
Egypt
Greece
Hellenistic world
Alexandria (Egypt)
Mediterranean region
Byzantium
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