GEORG AGRICOLA (Agricola Georgius)

(1494-1555)
Born in Klauhau (Saxony) March 24, 1494. Real name - Georg Bauer. After graduating from the University of Leipzig in 1517, Agricola from 1518 to 1522 he taught Latin and Greek in an urban school in Zwickau. Returning to Leipzig, took up medicine, but in 1523 went to Italy to continue the study of philosophy, medicine and natural sciences. In 1527 became the town doctor in Yoahimstale (sovr. Jц?chymov, 15 km north of Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic), and perhaps it is here in Agricole awakened interest in the minerals and metals. A scientist searching for ores and minerals in the constituent elements of new drugs. In his spare time visiting the local mines and smelting, read in Greek and Latin all available books on mining and metallurgy. Agricola's first book on mining and minerals, Bermannus, written in the form of dialogue (publ. 1530, with the introduction of his friend Erasmus). In 1531 he moved to Chemnitz, in 1533 became the town doctor, in 1546 - the Burgomaster. In 1533 began working on books on mining and metallurgy (De re metallica), the most famous of his works, completed only in 1555 and published after his death, in 1556. During this time, Agricola wrote 10 more books on geology, mining and metallurgy, including the nature of the minerals (De natura fossilium), labor, seen by historians as a foundation for the science of mineralogy. Among his few can be considered an original, but rather to his credit in the compilation available at that time scattered knowledge of metallurgy and minerals. Many processes are described in De re metallica and accompanying engravings are similar to modern. Agricola died in Chemnitz, November 21, 1555.