The tablet states its author as Hermes Trismegistus ("Hermes the Thrice-Greatest"), a legendary Hellenistic combination of the Greek god Hermes and the ancient Egyptian god Thoth. [47] Like most other works attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, the Emerald Tablet is very hard to date with any precision, but generally belongs to the late antique period (between c. 200 and c. 800). [48] The oldest known source of the text is the Sirr al-khalīqa wa-ṣanʿat al-ṭabīʿa ( The Secret of Creation and the Art of Nature, also known as the Kitāb al-ʿilal or The Book of Causes), an encyclopedic work on natural philosophy falsely attributed to Apollonius of Tyana ( c. 15–100, Arabic: Balīnūs or Balīnās). [49] This book was compiled in Arabic in the late eighth or early ninth century, [50] but it was most likely based on (much) older Greek and/or Syriac sources. [51] In the frame story of the Sirr al-khalīqa, Balīnūs tells his readers that he discovered the text in a vault below a statue of Hermes in Tyana, and that, inside the vault, an old corpse on a golden throne held the emerald tablet. [52] Mandosio, Jean-Marc (2003). "La Tabula smaragdina e i suoi commentari medievali". In Paolo Lucentini; Ilaria Parri; Vittoria Perrone Compagni (eds.). Hermetism from late antiquity to humanism. Brepols. pp.681–696. I, Thoth, the Atlantean, master of mysteries, keeper of records, mighty king, magician, living from Faivre, Antoine (1988). Présences d'Hermès Trismégiste. Cahiers de l'Hermétisme. Éditions Albin Michel. A third Latin version can be found in an alchemical treatise dating probably from the 12th century (although no manuscripts are known before the 13th or 14th century), the Liber Hermetis de alchimia (Book of Alchemy of Hermes). This version, known as the "vulgate," is the most widespread. [19] The translator of this version did not understand the Arabic word tilasm, which means talisman, and transcribed it into Latin as telesmus or telesmum (which became télesme in French), and it was variously interpreted by commentators, becoming "one of the most characteristic - and most vague - terms in alchemy". [20] Latin and French texts [ edit ]

The claim regarding the authorship was first made around 150 to 215 CE by the church father Clement of Alexandria. For this reason, the Emerald Tablet of Thoth is also known as the Emerald Tablet of Hermes throughout history. Between the 8 th century and 14 th centuries, the Islamic world was fascinated with alchemy, and many scholars of the time were deeply immersed in Arab translations of the Emerald Tablet. In addition to practicing alchemy, they were focused on gathering, organizing, and translating ancient Hermetic texts. Later, in the 12 th century, interest in alchemy and the other branches of Hermeticism began to flourish in Europe. You can read more that here.Also, the Emerald Tablet is thought to reveal how to make a Philosopher’s Stone—the ultimate ingredient needed to change any metal into golden treasure. It was a tincture or powder sought by alchemists for thousands of years, and many believe an elixir of life could also be derived from it. It’s thought to cure diseases, bring spiritual change, prolong life and even grant immortality. “As above, So below”

Book of Thoth is a name given to many ancient Egyptian texts supposed to have been written by Thoth, the Egyptian god of writing and knowledge. They include many texts that were claimed to exist by ancient authors and a magical book that appears in an Egyptian work of fiction.Woe to those who have taken such sacred texts as the Tablets and changed the truths therein, and benefited for their own personal gratification and profit, for the effects of what they have sown will surely find them. Greed for money, glory and power will bring to them the causes they themselves have created. B.J.T. Dobbs, Newton's Commentary on the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus - Its Scientific and Theological Significance in Merkel, I and Debus A.G. Hermeticism and the Renaissance. Folger, Washington 1988. Joachim Telle, L’art symbolique paracelsien: remarques concernant une pseudo-Tabula smaragdina du 16e siècle in ( Faivre 1988, p.186) Kahn, Didier (1994). La table d'émeraude et sa tradition alchimique. Paris: Les Belles Lettres. ISBN 9782251470054. Davis, Tenney L. (1926). "The Emerald Table of Hermes Trismegistus. Three Latin Versions Which Were Current among Later Alchemists". Journal of Chemical Education. 3 (8): 863–875. doi: 10.1021/ed003p863.