element
Silver
A pale metal used for coin, mirror, and later lunar correspondence in laboratory idiom.
object · 14
Silver is associated with Mirror.
Glass mirrors were silvered. The metal is a technology of likeness, not a moral of the self.
associated with · interpretive · documented
Silver is historically related to Lead.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, the tenth book instructs in separating silver from gold, and lead from gold and silver — silver is separated with that lead work.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Silver is historically related to Egg.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, after tin or silver ornament is polished, saffron moistened with clear of egg without water covers the places to be gilt while the rest holds the place of silver — silver work is finished beside that egg temper.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Silver is historically related to Knife.
In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, onions for pickling are peeled with a silver knife (steel should not be used, as it spoils the colour) — a silver knife peels them.
from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861
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Silver is historically related to Brass.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, after gold is milled for books, silver, brass, and copper are ground in the like manner and washed the same way before fish-bladder glue is prepared to lay them.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Silver is historically related to Incense.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, Antiochus sent bulls with gilded horns and vessels of gold and silver filled with incense to be offered in the temple during a seven-day truce.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Wheel Staff is historically related to Silver.
In Saunier's The Watchmakers' Hand Book, Wheel Staff is placed beside Silver as concrete shop companions.
from Claudius Saunier (tr./ed. PD) · The Watchmakers' Hand Book, PD Gutenberg #76850
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Litharge is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, first-order fluxes include litharge with the slags of gold, silver, copper, and lead — litharge fluxes beside that silver slag.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Cupel is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, when all the lead has been consumed in cupellation the gold or silver settles in the cupel, and the button is taken out of the cupel while still warm — silver settles in that cupel.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Crucible is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, in the crucible when metals are tested, be they gold, silver, copper, or lead, they are mixed as when smelted — silver is tested in that crucible.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Bellows is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, when melting medium sizes of ore the smelter uses a moderate blast from the bellows, fiercer than for small sizes but less than for gold, silver, or copper ores in their fiercest heat — the bellows works that silver ore furnace.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Chisel is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, native silver, silver glance, and gray silver flattened like plates on a tree stump are cut into pieces by pounding an iron chisel into them with a hammer.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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European folklore
Livery badge is historically related to Silver.
Planché’s Cyclopaedia seats the livery-badge among metal badges of household or faction allegiance worn on dress or hat, silver and mixed metal in costume speech. A named livery-badge in that costume speech, not a livery-collar chain alone, not a pilgrim-badge, and not a cockade cloth knot.
from James Robinson Planché · A Cyclopaedia of Costume, 1876–1879
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Chinese tradition
Sycee is historically related to Silver.
Bushell’s notes on currency and metal seat sycee as the boat-shaped silver ingot money of Chinese trade — silver-ingot speech, not a gold coin dump alone.
from Stephen W. Bushell · Chinese Art, 1904–1906 (2nd ed. 1909)
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element · 7
Silver is used in Water.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, silver is ground in water like brass and copper — the metal is worked under water for leaf and pigment preparation.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
used in · sourced · documented
Silver is historically related to Charcoal.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, when gold is parted from quicksilver the amalgam is heated gradually in a gourd-shaped vessel over burning charcoal — silver-bearing amalgam is driven over that charcoal heat.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Niello is used in Silver.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, niello is laid on silver work — the plate is moistened and the niello superposed carefully so no further work disturbs the inlay.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
used in · sourced · documented
Glue is historically related to Silver.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, after leaf-glue is proved to adhere, silver is laid in books the same way as gold — glue fixes that silver.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Antimony is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, early assay writers describe parting gold and silver by acid and by sulphur, antimony, or cementation — antimony parts that silver.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
historically related to · sourced · documented
Copper is historically related to Silver.
In Vitruvius’s Ten Books on Architecture, neither silver nor copper can be gilded properly without quicksilver — copper and silver share that gilding need.
from Vitruvius; Morris Hicky Morgan (translation) · De Architectura, 1st century BCE; Morgan English 1914
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Tallow is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, silver that still holds gold is melted with lead until the silver exhales the lead, then sprinkled with a powdered compound and poured into another crucible first warmed and lined with tallow before it is shaken.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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tradition · 6
Nahua tradition
Silver appears in Nahua tradition.
Sahagún’s Florentine Codex records iztac teocuitlatl in craft and tribute material speech — named silver beside gold keep-apart. A colonial-era Nahua ethnographic attestation, not a pan-Mesoamerican essence and not an unfiltered pre-invasion voice.
from Bernardino de Sahagún and Nahua collaborators · Florentine Codex, c. 1577
appears in · sourced · culturally specific
Hellenic religion
Silver appears in Hellenic religion.
Pausanias names silver among sanctuary dedications and worked offerings. A named silver in that periegesis, not a modern bullion dump and not gold-as-color mistaken for metal.
from Pausanias · Description of Greece, c. 150–180 CE
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Buddhist traditions
Silver appears in Buddhist traditions.
Watson’s Lotus Sūtra names silver among the seven treasures of Buddha-land and offering speech. A named silver in that sūtra, not Nahua silver alone and not a jewelry-market dump.
from Burton Watson (translation) · The Lotus Sutra, 1993 (this translation); Sanskrit/Chinese recensions much older
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Norse tradition
Silver appears in Norse tradition.
Eddic verse in the Poetic Edda names silver among hoard and ornament speech beside gold. A named silver in that corpus, not gold as the kind already walked via Gylfaginning and not alchemy’s moon-metal dump.
from Anonymous (Eddic poems); Carolyne Larrington (translation) · Poetic Edda, medieval Icelandic compilation; Larrington trans. 1996/2014
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Vedic tradition
Silver appears in Vedic tradition.
The Ṛgveda names silver (rajata) among pale-metal wealth and gift speech beside gold. A named Vedic silver in that corpus, not lunar alchemy correspondence and not gold as hiraṇya alone.
from Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton (translation) · The Rigveda, 2014 (this translation); hymns much older
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Roman religion
Silver appears in Roman religion.
Pliny’s Natural History treats silver among mined metals, coin, and mirror-metal speech of Roman practice. A named silver in that encyclopedia, not electrum as the alloy already walked and not the Florentine Nahua silver seat alone.
from Pliny the Elder · Natural History, c. 77 CE
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unknown · 6
plant · 4
Silver is historically related to Barley.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, Hosea buys his emblematic bride for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Hazel is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, some miners employ hazel twigs for veins of silver when seeking to discover the veins with the forked rod — hazel is used for that silver vein.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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Ash is historically related to Silver.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, black sweepings from refining are gathered upon a cup made from bone and ash, lead is added, and the mass is burned so that the silver may be recovered.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Plum is historically related to Silver.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, for writing gold, silver, copper, brass, or iron letters, metal filings are ground with gum of the plum-tree that has been soaked in acid then warm water, tempered so the powder can write.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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mineral · 2
Moonstone is historically related to Silver.
In Cooley's Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts, Moonstone and Silver are named as companions in the same handbook speech.
from Arnold James Cooley · Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts, 6th ed. (PD; Gutenberg #39733 / #41957)
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Galena is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, galena found in the wheel tracks was carried to Goslar, and much more silver was smelted from this galena than from that of Goslar — galena is smelted for that silver.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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substance · 2
Precipitate Mixed is historically related to Silver.
In Bersch's The Manufacture of Mineral and Lake Pigments, Precipitate Mixed is placed beside Silver as concrete shop companions.
from Josef Bersch (tr. PD) · The Manufacture of Mineral and Lake Pigments, PD Gutenberg #72143
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Rubbing Accomplished is historically related to Silver.
In The Hardwood Finisher, Rubbing Accomplished and Silver are named as companions in the same handbook speech.
from PD Gutenberg ed. · The Hardwood Finisher, PD Gutenberg #76021
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celestial-body · 1
Alchemy
Silver is associated with Moon.
Later alchemy and jewelry-speech pair silver with the moon. The pairing is a craft and market convention, not Thoth’s lunar office.
associated with · interpretive · culturally specific
color · 1
Alchemy
Gold is connected to Silver.
Sun-and-moon metal-speech in later alchemy pairs gold and silver. The pairing is a laboratory idiom.
connected to · interpretive · culturally specific
deity · 1
Mercury is historically related to Silver.
In Agricola’s De Re Metallica, the historical note on amalgamation records the application of mercury to the recovery of silver — mercury is applied to that silver.
from Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation) · De Re Metallica, 1556 Latin; Hoover English 1912
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material · 1
Alchemy
Shell Silver is used in Silver.
Theophilus’s On Divers Arts Book I seats powdered silver in gum kept in a shell for manuscript and miniature work. A named shell-silver use of silver, not shell-gold as powdered gold paint and not silver-leaf as beaten leaf.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
used in · sourced · documented
practice · 1
Silver is used in Medicine.
Pliny’s Natural History lists silver scoria among metal remedies: compounded into wound plasters and eye-salves, used in clysters for dysentery, and applied as liniments for ulcers and scars. A Roman-era pharmacological use of the metal, not lunar silver-speech and not looking-glass silvering alone.
from Pliny the Elder · Natural History, c. 77 CE
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symbol · 1
Alchemy
Silver mark represents Silver.
Ruland’s Lexicon seats ARGENTUM as the Luna of chemists, the metal ranked next after gold. A named silver-mark in that Luna/planetary-metal sign speech, not gold-mark Sol, and not moon as the sky body alone without the metal sign.
from Martin Ruland the Elder · Lexicon Alchemiae, 1612
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sources
- Florentine Codex · Bernardino de Sahagún and Nahua collaborators
Bernardino de Sahagún, General History of the Things of New Spain (Florentine Codex).
- Description of Greece · Pausanias
Pausanias, Description of Greece.
- The Lotus Sutra · Burton Watson (translation)
Burton Watson, The Lotus Sutra.
- Poetic Edda · Anonymous (Eddic poems); Carolyne Larrington (translation)
The Poetic Edda, trans. Carolyne Larrington.
- The Rigveda · Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton (translation)
Stephanie W. Jamison and Joel P. Brereton, The Rigveda: The Earliest Religious Poetry of India.
- Natural History · Pliny the Elder
Pliny, Naturalis Historia.
- On Divers Arts · Theophilus Presbyter
Theophilus, On Divers Arts (De diversis artibus / Schedula diversarum artium).
- De Re Metallica · Georgius Agricola; Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (translation)
Georgius Agricola, De Re Metallica, trans. Herbert Clark Hoover and Lou Henry Hoover (1912).
- Book of Household Management · Isabella Beeton
Isabella Beeton, Beeton’s Book of Household Management (1861).
- A Biblical and Theological Dictionary · Richard Watson
Richard Watson, A Biblical and Theological Dictionary.
- A Cyclopaedia of Costume · James Robinson Planché
James Robinson Planché, A Cyclopaedia of Costume.
- Lexicon Alchemiae · Martin Ruland the Elder
Martin Ruland, Lexicon Alchemiae (1612).
- Chinese Art · Stephen W. Bushell
Stephen W. Bushell, Chinese Art (V&A handbook, 1904–1906).
- Cassell's Cyclopaedia of Mechanics · Paul N. Hasluck (ed.)
Paul N. Hasluck (ed.), Cassell's Cyclopaedia of Mechanics (1903).
- The Manufacture of Mineral and Lake Pigments · Josef Bersch (tr. PD)
Josef Bersch, The Manufacture of Mineral and Lake Pigments (PD Gutenberg ed.).
- The Watchmakers' Hand Book · Claudius Saunier (tr./ed. PD)
Claudius Saunier, The Watchmakers' Hand Book (PD Gutenberg ed.).
- Vegetable Dyes · Ethel M. Mairet
Ethel M. Mairet, Vegetable Dyes (PD Gutenberg ed.).
- Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts · Arnold James Cooley
Arnold James Cooley, Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts (6th ed.).
- The Hardwood Finisher · PD Gutenberg ed.
The Hardwood Finisher (PD Gutenberg #76021).
- The Turner's Companion · Anonymous
The Turner's Companion (PD Gutenberg ed.).
- Handbook on Japanning · William Norman Brown
William Norman Brown, Handbook on Japanning (PD Gutenberg ed.).
- De Architectura · Vitruvius; Morris Hicky Morgan (translation)
Vitruvius, The Ten Books on Architecture, trans. Morris Hicky Morgan (1914).