Alembic with cucurbit made from glass which is now badly spalling and silvered, unsigned, Middle East, 901-1200.

Alembic with cucurbit, Islamic, probably 10th to 12th centuries, two parts, glass. Arabic contributions to chemistry came after the rise of Islam in the Near East, which began about 600 AD. They lasted through the Islamic empires there and flourished from about 900-1200 AD. Much of this development took place in the area of medicine and medicinal chemistry. Many of the words used by the Arabs in describing science have been retained and have entered the English language. In chemistry Arabic words include alkali, nitre, alkahest(the universal solvent) and alembic(a distilling flask).