WAS the PHILOSOPHER’S STONE REALLY A STONE?

Most of us know of the Philosopher’s Stone (or the Sorcerer’s Stone) only from the title of the first volume of the Harry Potter Series by British author J.K. Rowling. However, it has been a legendary substance for more than 4000 years. The philosopher’s stone was a vital ingredient alchemists sought to turn base metals such as inexpensive lead into valuable silver or gold. It could have been a stone, or a liquid or some other mysterious substance. Did scientists or magicians ever achieve this? We don’t know for sure.

Alchemist and scribe of legal documents Nicholas Flamel (1330 - 1418), claimed to have done so. He also claimed to have achieved immortality, another perk of discovering the philosopher’s stone. It was said that he was seen in the 17th and 18th centuries, although how anyone could be sure is uncertain as there were no photographs to identify him. The story goes that in 1357 Flamel bought a small book entitled The Art Of the Transmutation of Metals. He didn’t understand the book but made every effort to do so. On the road to Santiago de Compostela in search of information he met a Jewish convert who revealed that the book was a translation of The Book of Abraham The Jew. Some of the secrets in the book told him how to achieve immortality. With the information given to him, Flamel and his wife, Perenelle were able to decode the mysteries of immortality.

Since then, they have been written about in numerous books, by such famous authors as Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo, Albert Pike and J.K. Rowling.

Whether Famel actually was seen in recent centuries is still a mystery, but his presence lingers on in Paris. One of his homes still exists and is home to a restaurant that bears his name. There is also a Rue Flamel.