Related Terms • Crucified serpent • Asclepius wand • Caduceus Related Resources • Hermetic Tradition • Alchemy • Historical interest • Hellenismos/Greek Revival • New Age     Glossaries  • Symbol Glossary • Alternative Religions Glossary • Glossary of Magick and the Occult

This grusome symbol of a crucified serpent is an old alchemical drawing representing the "fixing of the volatile," or, making the elixir of mercury, a legendary curative, by removing the 'volatile' or poisonous element. The picture is derived from the biblical story of Moses, who erected a brazen snake as a charm against plague.

Fixing the volatile; from the notebook of Nicholas Flamel

Related images:

See Also:

Alchemical Serpent Gallery: Fixing the Volatile

Brazen Serpent Gallery

Related Resources:

• Hermetic Tradition
  Named after Hermes Trismigestus (Hermes the three times great), the Greek moniker of the Egyptian God Tehuti (Thoth), alleged author of hundreds of mystical tractates, the Hermetic tradition is an eclectic spiritual tradition that encompasses elements from from many religions.