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Medieval Faculty Colloquium: “Recipe or Ritual? The Problem of Magic in Medieval Alchemy”

Jennifer M. Rampling, History

Thu, 11/21 · 12:00 pm1:20 pm · 209 Scheide Caldwell

Program in Medieval Studies

The Program in Medieval Studies is pleased to offer the Faculty Colloquium series for Fall 2024. Jennifer M. Rampling, Associate Professor of History, will give this lunch time talk.

Please RSVP HERE. Lunch will be provided.

In the European Middle Ages, practitioners of both alchemy and magic sought to manipulate nature, although in different ways. Sometimes the boundary between them is hard to discern. This paper investigates how magical ideas may have influenced some late medieval alchemical recipes, especially in England—and whether modern attempts to reconstruct these practices in a laboratory can shed light on how they were meant to be read.


Book exhibit in the history reading room

Alain St. Pierre and the Princeton University Library invite the Medieval Studies community to the History reading room in Firestone Library (Floor A: turn left out of the main staircase) on colloquium days to view recently acquired titles in all subject areas of Medieval Studies. The books will be on display from the afternoon of Wednesday (November 20) through Friday (November 22).  Come browse!


Faculty Colloquia for Spring 2025 

  • Wednesday, February 26 at 12:00pm: Jamie Reuland (Music)
  • Wednesday, March 5 at 12:00pm: Catherine Fernandez (Art & Archaeology)
  • Wednesday, April 16 at 12:00 pm: Sarah Anderson (English)
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