According to Rulandus' 17th century Alchemical Lexicon, the "Ovum Philosophicum," which can be translated as the Philosophical or Hermetic Egg, is the principal vessel used in alchemical operations. When it is a round, glass vessel with a long, thin neck it is also called a retort, which was often likened to a wild goose.

The terms philosophical and Hermetic refer to alchemy. In the Renaissance, the term philosophy was not restricted as it is today. It referred to someone who sought the truth about nature and the world; the truth, of course, was a totality, having both spiritual and physical aspects. Today we would call these seekers of truth scientists as well as philosophers. In the Renaissance Alchemy was a state-of-the-art science and alchemists were also known as philosophers. Alchemists traced the history of their science back to its mythical, Egyptian founder, Hermes Trismegistus (the thrice great Hermes); so alchemy was also known as the Hermetic practice. The alchemists would seal the subject of their work the substance that would be transformed through the alchemical operations in the egg. The Hermetic seal was air-tight, and Hermetic has retained this meaning in common speech up to the present time.

During the alchemical process, the subject, Hermetically sealed in the Egg, would go through a symbolic death and rebirth. When the Egg was cracked, a new mystical substance emerged which was an elixir that prolonged life and acted as a catalyst capable of improving any substance that it came in contact with. This substance, called the Philosopher's Stone, could change lead into gold and change an ordinary person into an enlightened master. One of the symbols for this perfection was the ideal flower -- the rose.

Robert M. Place

This is the web site of Robert M. Place, illustrator and author, who is the creator and author of The Alchemical Tarot, The Tarot of the Saints, The Angels Tarot, The Buddha Tarot, The Vampire Tarot and the author of The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination, Astrology and Divination, and Shamanism. It contains samples of his illustrations, articles on his decks and on magic and mysticism, and features his art and mystical jewelry. This site is also a vessel dedicated to the spirit of Hermes and meant to serve as a catalyst for personal transformation and improvement.