Martinón-Torres Marcos
UCL Institute ofArchaeology, London, UK.
Ambix. 2012 Mar;59(1):22-48. doi: 10.1179/174582312X13296104891436.
This paper is based on the archaeological and analytical study of the laboratory remains from the Officina Chimica of the Old Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. Following a contextualisation of this laboratory, founded in the wake of Bacon's utopian idea of Solomon's Temple, it is argued that the assemblage is likely to date from the late seventeenth century and thus be connected to the work of Robert Plot, Christopher White, and, indirectly, Robert Boyle. The analytical study of the equipment reveals that the chymists at the Old Ashmolean obtained crucibles from the best manufacturers in Europe, and that they used these and other utensils for experiments involving mercury, sulphur, zinc, lead glass, manganese, and antimony. The importance of these elements for early modern chymistry is discussed in the light of relevant historical sources, including some of Boyle's chymical texts. Altogether, these finds illustrate some of the rich diversity of experiments that took place in one of the most prominent laboratories of the period, showing strong connections with longstanding alchemical concerns as well as with cutting-edge research and development ventures.
本文基于对牛津旧阿什莫尔博物馆化学工坊实验室遗存的考古及分析研究。在对这个紧随培根关于所罗门圣殿的乌托邦构想而建立的实验室进行背景介绍之后，本文认为该实验室的物品组合可能可追溯至17世纪晚期，因此与罗伯特·普洛特、克里斯托弗·怀特以及间接与罗伯特·波义耳的工作相关。对这些设备的分析研究表明，旧阿什莫尔博物馆的化学家们从欧洲最好的制造商那里获得坩埚，并且他们使用这些及其他器具进行涉及汞、硫、锌、铅玻璃、锰和锑的实验。结合包括波义耳的一些化学文本在内的相关历史资料，讨论了这些元素对早期现代化学的重要性。总体而言，这些发现揭示了在那个时期最著名的实验室之一所进行的丰富多样的实验，显示出与长期以来的炼金术关注点以及前沿研发项目的紧密联系。
