Forge and the Crucible

The Origins and Structure of Alchemy

Eliade Mircea

Primitive man's discovery of the ability to change matter from one state to another brought about a profound change in spiritual behavior. In "The Forge and the Crucible", Mircea Eliade follows the ritualistic adventures of these ancient societies, adventures rooted in the people's awareness of an awesome new power.

The new edition of "The Forge and the Crucible" contains an updated appendix, in which Eliade lists works on Chinese alchemy published in the past few years. He also discusses the importance of alchemy in Newton's scientific evolution.

About the Author

Mircea Eliade (1907-1986) was the Sewell L. Avery Distinguished Service Professor at the Divinity School and professor in the Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago. He was one of the most influential scholars of religion of the 20th century and one of the world's foremost interpreters of religious symbolism and myth. Eliade was the author of many works of scholarship and fiction, including "A History of Religious Ideas" and ten novels.

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