Heavenly bodies are essential in alchemy, particularly the sun, moon, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn. Symbols of these planets are common in alchemical art along with their Greek god counterparts, and the success of operations were sometimes tied to zodiacal time. Beyond times of the month, day and hour, these heavenly bodies also corresponded to metals, parts of the body, cardinal sins, and cardinal virtues. Images: Clavis artis, Zoroaster, 17th century and De naturae…historia, Robert Fludd, 1680

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Alchemical Art from “Cabala, speculum artis et naturae, in alchymia” by Stephan Michelspacher, 1616 The Mirror of Art and Nature Diagram of an Alchemist’s Furnace

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Ulrich Ruosch’s Alchemical Manual, 1680, is a pocket sized manuscript containing an overview of alchemy and the meaning of planets, numbers, letters, and elements. Alchemical implements, philosophy, and symbolism representing each stage of the process are also found inside.

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Emblems from German Alchemical Manuscript, 1794 Alchemical furnaces from The Key of Alchemy Title page of De Arte divina & sacra

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Boginki are minor deities in Slavic folklore that personify nature. They appear in many different forms and dwell in swamps, lakes, rivers, forests and mountains. They’re sometimes hostile and attack women during childbirth, switch babies with changelings and destroy fishing nets. Depending on the region, Boginki were thought to previously be women who committed suicide or died in childbirth. The babies taken by them and replaced with changelings could also be turned into Boginki. Images: Maria Apoleika, 1874

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Jinn and Changelings Changeling Barong

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The Habergeiss is a hoofed demon with glowing eyes from Germanic folklore that appears in the form of a bird, a goat, or a combination of the two. The spirit is known to take children away in a basket, which is reenacted by costumed people at various festivals. Other versions of the spirit are vampiric and suck the blood of farmers and their cattle. Image: Wolfgang Sauber (modified)

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Lamashtu The Rusalka Queen Bilqis

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Emblems from Sammlung unterschiedlicher bewährter chymischer Schriften, Johannes Isaac Holladus & Michael Sendivogius, 1746, including The Hand of the Philosophers and a Globus cruciger. Source: Embassy of the Free Mind

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Emblems from Sammlung Alchymistischer Schriften, 18th Century Alchemical Diagrams from De Roode Leeuw, of het Sout der Philosophen Emblem 2 from Atalanta Fugiens, 1618

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In the 16th and 17th century, women accused of witchcraft were often subjected to a trial by water. Their hands were bound and they were thrown into water. If they floated—a witch. If they sunk—innocent. While they often had rope tied around their waists to bring them back, there were many accidental drownings. From: Bericht von Erforschung, Herman Neuwaldt, 1611. Source: University of Glasgow Library

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Diagrams exposing instruments of trickery from “The discouerie of witchcraft” by Reginald Scot, 1584 A Witches Sabbath from L’histoire des imaginations extravagantes de Monsieur Oufle Seals and characters for summoning greater demons

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Erlik or Erik Khan is the pig-faced god of death and rulers of demons in Siberian mythology, and the first creation of Ulsan the creator god. He judges the dead and is assisted by evil spirits that cause misfortune, sickness, and death, including 9 sons and daughters. Image: Dictionnaire Infernal

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El Tío, Lord of the Underworld Apep Bifrons

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Kwakwaka’wakw transformation masks are worn by dancers to display their status during potlatch ceremonies, where they give gifts to attendees. When a cord on the mask is pulled, its inner form is revealed, often changing from an animal into a mythological creature or ancestor. Photo: Myrabella

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A sorcerer casting a shadow of The Devil by candle light. From “Le serpent de la Genèse” (The Serpent of Genesis) Volume 1, by Stanislas de Guaita, 1920. Source: Embassy of the Free Mind

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Wild Witches’ Sabbath from Le serpent de la Genèse, 1920 A Sorcerer’s Lair from Le serpent de la Genese Depiction of an unscrupulous practitioner of black magic from Le serpent de la Genèse, 1920

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The title plate from Michael Maier’s Arcana Arcanissima, 1614. Above are three figures from the Egyptian myth of the dismemberment of Osiris by his brother Typhon, and reassembling by his sister Isis. The Greek gods Hercules and Dionysus flank the sides and below are the Egyptian mythological creatures of Ibis, Apis, and Cynocephalus.

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Title page of De Arte divina & sacra Image from the title page of Aufschlüsse zur Magie by Karl Von Eckartshausen, 1791 Alchemical art of two fish from Alchemy: Ancient and Modern

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Apep was the Egyptian god of chaos and the greatest enemy of the Sun god Ra. This god appeared as a giant snake and was much feared by Egyptians, even in their death—as he’s known to eat souls. To ward off Apep, they would defile effigies and bury the dead with protective spells.

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Shapeshifting Jinn Ammit Gamigin

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Botis (or Otis) is a demonic earl, president and one of the Spirits of Solomon. He appears as a viper with a sword, and can be commanded to take human form—but he’ll retain some of his demonic features if he does. He’s good for reconciling friends or enemies & answering questions. Image: 72goetia.com

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Decarabia Morax Ronove

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