To celebrate the installation of the Roy G. Neville Historical Chemical Library, CHF is sponsoring an international conference on the history of alchemy and chymistry (an inclusive term from the periods when alchemy and chemistry were not sharply distinguished). The event will provide an opportunity for scholars to come together to evaluate and extend the significant advances in our understanding of the early history of chemistry made in the past two decades.

More than 30 papers are expected, covering a wide range of topics from various time periods and cultural contexts, and featuring approaches from several disciplinary perspectives. A key aspect of the conference is to identify and encourage promising young scholars and to help them build collaborative bridges with each other and with senior scholars.

Participation
The organizing committee invites those interested in the history of alchemy to attend this major international conference. To register, click the Register link above. If you would like to submit a paper, click the Abstract Submissions link. Sorry, the abstract submission deadline of 1 February 2006 has passed. We thank all of you who submitted abstracts.

CHF and Philadelphia
CHF is located next to Independence Park in the historic heart of Philadelphia and is easily accessible by air, rail, and car. CHF has become a major repository of source materials for the history of alchemy and early chemistry, including the Roy G. Neville Historical Chemical Library, a collection that is rich in volumes from the 16th to 18th centuries, and the Eddleman and Fisher Collections of alchemical art. Participants will be able to view or consult these and other CHF collections before, during, and after the conference.

An extended stay in Philadelphia would permit consulting other area collections, such as the Edgar Fahs Smith Collection at the University of Pennsylvania and the library of the Philadelphia College of Physicians.