The Byzantine Alchemist Christianos and His Procedures on Indian Lac
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In the present article, I analyse a text attributed to a Byzantine alchemist, the so-called Christian Philosopher or Christianos. I argue that within this text it is possible to find one of the earliest descriptions, in the Mediterranean world, of lac dye and shellac manufacturing. The text is also useful for establishing a more precise chronology within the debate concerning the date of Christianos, placing him in the early seventh century CE, during the reign of the emperor Heraclius.
Source: Ambix
Author: Marco Bellini
Institution: University of Bologna
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: Università di Bologna
OpenAlex ID: W4408942958