alembik

An alembik, also spelled alembic in modern English, is a type of distillation apparatus used in alchemy and early chemistry. The instrument is designed to heat a liquid to its vapor and then condense the vapor to yield a purified or concentrated distillate. The classic alembik consists of two connected vessels: a heated pot or cucurbit that holds the liquid to be distilled, and a receiving vessel connected by a short neck or head through which the vapor passes. In many designs the vapor passes into a curved cap or beak where it condenses and drips into a separate receiver. The arrangement allows repeated condensation at relatively low temperatures, which was thought to enable the separation of substances based on volatility.

Historically the alembik has roots in ancient and medieval distillation traditions and was widely employed in Islamic, European, and Renaissance laboratories. It played a central role in early alchemical practices as well as early empirical chemistry, and it was used to produce distilled waters, aromatics, and medicines. The term itself derives from Arabic al-anbīq, via medieval Latin alembicus or alambicus, referring to the same distillation device.

In modern science the term is largely of historical interest, having given way to more advanced glassware and distillation columns. Nevertheless, the alembik remains a common symbol of purification and transformation in art and literature, and is still used by artisans in some traditional perfumery and essential-oil practices.