posted 05-10-2005 01:35 PM         

Anyway they have got texts that go back as far as the 14th century, I'm sure, maybe they have some earlier. they have alchemic symbols and art and safety rules if you wish to experiment with alchemy yourself. they have lots of information regarding the science of alchemy. They also have a manual on making a plant stone which is kind of like a solid essence of plant oil not sure of the exact producedure but they have pictures of it.
great stuff for makin incense or just having something on your desk that smells great. they also have some books on practical alchemy ou there I could look up the title and author if your interested.

Not too sure if they built buildings according to alchemy, considering most of the west was christian there wasn't a whole lot of respect for alchemy a lot of people considered it witchcraft however I know that europe was really superstitous and had special things meant to keep evil away. If you want to look up something cool that was used in america on buildings to protect and stregthen buildings look up "Hex Signs" these were often quilted stars or geometric patterns. I don't think that alchemy was witchcraft(I am sure some of it was) but I prefer to call it the predecessor to our understanding of what is now chemistry. you wouldn't believe how close to us they really were.

I hope this helps you to some degree

posted 05-10-2005 01:58 PM         

"In parts of Pennslyvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, barns were, and still are, decorated with hex signs. Although nowadays hexes are purely for decoration, the colorful geometric designs were once though to be good luck symbols that would ward of sickness, fire, lightning, and all kinds of evil spirits. the hex sign is attributed to the Mennonites and the amish people who settled in southern Pennslyvania area in the seventeenth century. Early hex signs were drawn mostly with straight lines, but later barn artists began using curves and circular patterns." keeps going for a while and then, " Typical signs, almost always within a circle, include stars with four, five, six eight, ten , sixteen, and up to thirty-two points.
The stars are usually decorated with symbols and the hex sign painted in yellow, white, red, and black. Many hexes are done in only one or two colors, however. A white stripe painted around a barn door to ward of the devil was another hex 'design'."

Here are some meanings for hex signs:

"a four pointed star brings good luck.

a five pointed star protects barns from lightning and demons and represents the five senses and good health.

a double five pointed star is a sign of the sun or good weather.

a six pointed star represents love or a good marriage.

a seven pointed star is a ward against all evil.

an eight pointed star is a sign of good will, freedom, and land ownership.

a twelve pointed star represents knowledge, wisdom, and sincerity.

a sixteen pointed star is a symbol of justice."

posted 05-10-2005 05:25 PM         

A book on the subject of hex signs and their meanings is "Hex Signs Pennslyvania Dutch Barn Symbols & Their Meaning.