Nothing conjures up mental images of lost secrets quite like alchemy. Alchemy, the fore-runner to modern chemistry, was full of mystery and surprise (and danger, if you got it wrong!) If your LARP or Role-Playing game has any kind of alchemy in it, then alchemical symbols– the shorthand used by practicing alchemists– will surely add an arcane air to your RP.

And so, I did some research, and I made for you and your pleasure a chart full of alchemy symbols, which you can download (see below) and print out. Along with alchemy symbols for substances such as gold, lead, and Aqua Regia, the chart contains ancient and modern names (like Brimstone/Sulfur, or Quicksilver/Mercury). You might put it on your wall. You might refer to it for your writing or RP. You might even use the symbols to label props or dishes (such as bottles of oil or vinegar, or a canister of salt), for your kitchen! The chart is 8″ by 10″, and in print-quality 300 dpi.

Whatever you decide, please don’t sell or distribute this work or claim it’s your own in any way. I spent days on this thing. I’ll be less than pleased if I find out someone else is making money on what I made and am giving away free. Don’t be chaotic evil IRL.*

Note: A lot of substances have more than one symbol. Some have WAY more than one (like Arsenic, for which I found about fifteen). I tried to choose the one or two I saw most often. Some symbols are as recent as 18th century; most are around 16th or so, so if you’re going dark-dark-dark ages these might not work. Check with your GM if you think it’s best.

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Download the print-quality .png image

Download the print-quality .pdf file

Thanks for enjoying, and be sure to tell your friends! And if you’re feeling really adventurous, show us a pic of how you used this!

*(PS: You want this printed on stuff like shirts and mugs? Check out here!)

By the way, “Hermes the Alchemist” is a thief. Thank you.