Turba Philosophorum

The Turba Philosophorum, also known as Assembly of the Philosophers, is one of the oldest European alchemy texts, translated from the Arabic, like the Picatrix.


It is believed that it was written before the twelfth century. Probably the Arabic original, entitled Mushaf al Gama'a (Book of the Assembly ) was built around 900 and received only in part. From the 13th century Latin versions emerged.


It deals with the alchemical key concepts in the literary form of a Turba, ( pl. of Latin dictum statement ) is divided into 72 Dicta and was cited by many later writings.


Nine philosophers take part in a discussion, being, once the text has been transcribed back to the original Arabic, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Anaxagoras, Empedocles, Archelaus, Leucippus, Ecphantus, Pythagoras and Xenophanes. The statements of the philosophers, whilst usually different from the known beliefs of the pre-Socratics, are usually recognisable as outgrowths of Greek philosophy.