Download or read book The Forge and the Crucible written by Mircea Eliade and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1978 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Primitive man's discovery of the ability to change matter from one state to another brought about a profound change in spiritual behavior. In The Forge and the Crucible, Mircea Eliade follows the ritualistic adventures of these ancient societies, adventures rooted in the people's awareness of an awesome new power. The new edition of The Forge and the Crucible contains an updated appendix, in which Eliade lists works on Chinese alchemy published in the past few years. He also discusses the importance of alchemy in Newton's scientific evolution.