The Living Human Heritage Project Zurich
 
 
 
The Corpus Arabicum Alchymicum (CALA) will be editing and publishing a collection of key manuscripts on symbolic Arabic alchemy. The Arabic text is always accompanied by a parallel English translation. In order to improve the understanding of the spiritual side of alchemy, each edited volume is followed by one or more commentaries.
 
Corpus Alchemicum Arabicum: Vol 1
Book of the Explanation of the Symbols Kitab Hall ar-Rumuz
ed. Abt / Madelung / Hofmeier
 
Volume I of CALA presents the first edition of Hall ar-Rumuz (Explanation of the Symbols). It was written by Muhammad Ibn Umail (10th century), one of the most important representatives of the symbolic branch of alchemy. In later Latin alchemy he is known under the name, Senior.
 
Ibn Umail’s description of the alchemical work is a symbolic rendering of his experience of an inner-psychic process of transformation that he considered as being the highest goal in human life. Due to his extremely introverted lifestyle and his devoted focus toward the inner world, Ibn Umail was able to observe and describe this mysterious process with the "substantial symbols", emerging out of the depth of his psyche.
 
 
 
 
 
Corpus Alchemicum Arabicum: Vol I A
Book of the Explanation of the Symbols
Kitab Hall ar-Rumuz
 
Psychological Commentary by Marie-Louise von Franz
Edited by Theodor Abt
 
This is the last manuscript of Dr. Marie-Louise von Franz, dictated during the final years of her life. It not only contains a brilliant historical survey of alchemy since Egyptian times, but above all, a profound comment on a newly translated Arabic alchemical text from the 10th Century which is a ‘Summa’ of her entire life’s experience and work.
 
 
 
Corpus Alchemicum Arabicum: Vol I B
Book of the Explanation of the Symbols
Kitab Hall ar-Rumuz
Psychological Commentary by Theodor Abt
 
This second commentary on Muhammed ibn Umail’s Hall ar-rumuz (See CALA I) gives important additions and clarifications that had become possible in the light of other texts of Ibn Umail and authors quoted by him, which at the time when Dr von Franz wrote her first commentary (see CALA I A) were either poorly translated into Latin or not yet available in any European language. That allowed an enlarged understanding of this text, based on Ibn Umail’s own reflections. The text is accompanied by 100 illustrations that help the reader better to understand the symbolic world of Ibn Umail.
 
 
 
 
Corpus Alchemicum Arabicum: Vol II.1
Facsimile of the Book of Pictures
Muṣḥaf aṣ-ṣuwar
by Zosimos of Panopolis
Introduction by Theodor Abt
 
69 pages English introduction and commentary and 420 pages of the original Arabic facsimile with color plates
ISBN 978-3-9522608-5-2
 
This Arabic facsimile consists of an almost complete rendering of the manuscript of the Mushaf as-suwar, one of the oldest available manuscripts of perhaps the first Greek alchemist. It includes a collection of 13 books written by Zosimos of Panopolis as a dialogue between the teacher Zosimos and his student Theosebeia. Zosimos collected the teaching of past alchemists and thus consolidated the knowledge of symbolic alchemy of his time.
This book represents a unique, lively and thorough account of the important alchemist.
 
 
 
 
 
The Book of Pictures Muṣḥaf aṣ-ṣuwar
by Zosimos of Panopolis
Introduction by Theodor Abt
 
162 pages with color and b/w illustrations
ISBN 978-3-9522608-6-9
The images published here are from the almost complete manuscript of the Mushaf as-suwar, one of the oldest available manuscripts of perhaps the first Greek alchemist.
In different places, Zosimos advises the female student Theosebeia to ponder the meaning of his symbolic explanations, through which he answers her questions. His images complement the dialogue and clarify the meaning of his teaching.
We have here a highly interesting transmission of knowledge in the form of image and word.
 
 
 
 
Zum System der CALA Bezeichnungen:
 
  1. • Römische Zahlen für Text-Bänder: (CALA I, II, III, IV etc)
  2. • Psychologische Kommentare zu den Textbänden mit Grossbuchstaben: (A, B, C etc.)
  3. • Wo Text und Übersetzung getrennt, arabische Zahlen hinter den römischen Textbandzahlen
    (CALA II.1 für Text, CALA II.2 für Übersetzung
 
 
 
Arabic Alchemy