Could This Piece Of Pot Be From An Alchemists Laboratory?

I have been doing a bit of research on this piece of pot I found in a stream. When I found it the simple pattern, and haphazard way it had been painted reminded me of Saxon runes and symbols.

I have been looking into ancient symbols (starting with Saxon symbols) and did not find anything like it. Quite by accident found a couple of pages of old Alchemists symbols. (See tables below)

In the first table the triangle shape with 3 legs is exactly the same symbol on the list for 'philosophers sulfur'

Philosophers Sulfur is obviously sulphur as we know it today. OR SO I THOUGHT....until I stumbled on more information about this mystical Philosophers Sulfur.

It appears that philosophers sulfur may be gold which has been dissolved by some sort of mercury, philosophers mercury to be precise. "And what is philosophers mercury?" I hear you ask.... well, it's just as mysterious as philosophers gold.

I found some good answers on this Alchemy forum on the subjects of philosophical mercury and philosophical gold.

After reading the whole thread I cannot even begin to explain or understand whether it is a real or metaphorical/spiritual thing. - If it is a metaphorical/spiritual thing then why does it need it's own storage pot? If that's what I found..

Next I found this really interesting article which goes into the making of the philosophers stone- No, not the Harry Potter film ;) This describes philosophers mercury as something physical made using an element (mercury) and a hypothetical substance.(Alkahest)



On this table of old Alchemic symbols the same symbol was listed as 'of phosphorus' - do I dare go and try to find out what that is? I will of course....

I found out that phosphorus was discovered during an experiment to find the philosophers stone, using urine. But I cannot find any record of what "of phosphorus" means.

Thinking about what I read earlier could 'of phosphorus' with the same symbol as 'philosophers sulfur' possibly mean philosophers sulfur made using phosphorus instead of mercury?

UPDATE!

After reading for 3 days on the subject, I now think I have a good idea of what Philosophers sulfur, philosophers mercury, and what the philosophers stone is made from. It is not elemental mercury, or sulphur. 

It has been really interesting finding out about this process and reading the old texts (which are cryptic to say the least!), and also more modern theories on the subject, and different forums. Really fascinating, and surprising the different places alchemy and the stone pop up! From occult practices, great geniuses like Newton and many, many others, Masons, Christian saints, even down to how world economics fit into the picture. 

That's not even half of it.. I forgot to mention just how long this quest has been going on... There were Alchemists in ancient Egypt and other early civilizations all over the world.

There are so many riddles, interpretations, and theories, that it has been like a one of  those mindbender puzzles, which you think you understand one minute and the next you realise that you were wrong, but the real answer was so obvious, etc. Again, and again. 

Anyway now I think I can provide some better answers of what may have been kept in the pot....

Philosophers sulfur is probably either urine complete, or the salts from distilled urine. 

Philosophers mercury is probably a red oil that you get from urine by some process that I can't remember (something to do with keeping it dark and in the moons rays...)

Alkahest is probably either distilled urine (into water) dew, or a mixture of both.

'of phosphorus' My guess now is that this is the either urine or the salts collected from the urine which has been distilled and calcified. 

Anyway I could be wrong on all this, and on the pot. Maybe the pattern on it it could be someone's crude attempts of drawing fuchsia flowers. But finding out has been very interesting, that's another reason I love finding bits and pieces like this, they all have a story!

Medea - Frederick Sandys (public domain image)

I have decided to harp on some more about Alchemy, I have discovered quite a lot this evening, like just how many things that Alchemists discovered, or invented. Quite stunning really...

• Various Mineral oil,
• Explosives,
• Methanol, 
• Various colors like Vermillion
• Salt

A list of alchemic discoveries is here on Wikipedia, it's really very interesting to see the sheer amount of things they discovered.

One thing I do know about Alchemists is their obsession with the plant Lady's Mantel. They called the dew found on it's leaves 'celestial waters'. When I was younger I read that if you put this dew on your face at dawn, you would stay youthful looking.

I had some growing in my garden at the time, so I did just that! I do look young for my age, to the point of being asked for ID to buy cigarettes when I am over 30! I can't say for sure if that is down to Lady's Mantel though, but it's nice to think that it is. I may do it again soon to top up!