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During the sixteenth century, when chemical technology was just beginning to be established in Europe, a set of books entitled The Natural History of Pliny the Elder were published. These Latin texts, which were written by Pliny's nephew Pliny the Younger, are now considered an important source for European science and technology during this time period.I have selected one text from The Natural History of Pliny the Elder because it outlines several aspects of chemical technology in great detail. This excerpt is entitled "De Natura Lapidis" or "On the Nature of Stones". It is an extensive account which provides a survey of the various uses and properties of minerals and gemstones. The actual translation of this excerpt can be found at "". The text contains an introduction, followed by a section on the different kinds of stones based on their origins. This includes gemstones and minerals from every known region, which were examined according to their color, hardness, fragility, and toughness. Next comes a discussion about polishing stones and setting gems into jewelry. The remainder of the text describes each of the stones according to its color or morphology (i.e., diamonds or amethysts). In addition to the text from Pliny's nephew, I have also included a series of excerpts from the original fourteenth century Latin texts. These excerpts give an overview of chemical technology and describe some of the changes which occurred during this time period. The sixteenth century saw advancements in chemical technology, which included new theories or models and many practical applications. One such advancement was the creation of a "mixed body" theory by Robert Boyle (1627-1691). The mixed body theory was described as a combination of two or more different substances that joined together, but could be separated by extreme conditions such as heat or cold.A notable practical application of this theory developed by Boyle was his application for gunpowder. The original recipe for gunpowder was a mixture of sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal. He demonstrated that additional substances could be added to the recipe, thereby altering the properties of gunpowder. The sixteenth century also saw a number of other advancements in chemical technology. For example, the English chemist John Dee (1527-1608) described processes for making mineral dyes from copper and from natural sources such as different lichens and other plants. Another advance involved the discovery of potassium nitrate by the German alchemist Hennig Brand (1590-1634). In 1680 this discovery led to a new process for producing potash liquor from wood ashes, thereby making it easier to manufacture soap and glass. During the seventeenth century, there was a resurgence in chemical technology. One great discovery of the century was that of alkalis (e.g., nitric acid) by the Dutch alchemist Jan van Helmont (1579-1644). The use of corrosive substances in chemical processes became popular during the seventeenth century. For example, early saltpetre for gunpowder production came from sea water, which was often contaminated with unwanted substances, including copper sulfate. The eighteenth century saw many advances in chemical knowledge and technology. These included advancements in chemistry, metallurgy, microbiology, botany and agriculture amongst others. cfa1e77820
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