[MR] Quick Lime (Lye)

[Edward Q. Hopkins]

the most common source of hydroxide and carbonate in the alchemy world 
was

ASH, there is a reason that Na2CO3 is called soda ash.

 

a little more alchemy, potassium and sodium are alkali metals, alkali 
is

arabic for plants, and potassium derives it's name from pot 
ash.

According to my dictionary,  the word "alkali"comes from


 [Middle English alkaly   Arabic al-qali, for 
al-qali, the ashes (of saltwort)   qalai, to roast in a 
pan]

Speaking of my dictionary, it also has this interesting entry:


sarcophagus [Latin   Greek sarkophagos   
sarx, flesh (see SARCASM) + phagein, to eat (see -PHAGOUS): 
because the limestone caused rapid disintegration of the contents] 1. among the 
ancient Greeks and Romans, a limestone coffin or tomb, often inscribed and 
elaborately ornamented  2. any stone coffin, especially one on display, as 
in a monumental tomb

I find it a little hard to believe that the bodies would disintegrate just 
from lying within limestone slabs; maybe the sarcophagi were named by ancient 
morticians who had some grislier way of clearing out a coffin for the next 
customer, which they chose not to reveal to mourners.

 

-- Alfredo el Bufon

 

--- guojia at earthlink.net 

 
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