His Secret Book is attributed to Artephius, circa 1126, who was an Alchemist from Al-Andalus (the name given to Islamic Spain). Artephius was one of the most prominent Alchemists in the Middle Ages and the author of numerous works on Alchemy. The text includes the entire process of preparing the Philosopher's Stone. Three separate operations are described:
1. Preparation of the Secret Fire, which is the solvent used in the Work;
2. Preparation of the mercury from antimony and iron; and
3. Preparation of the Stone itself.
The operations are not presented in order, and as in many works on Alchemy, the language can be obscure: several names can refer to the same thing, and sometimes one name can refer to several things. However, it is a very clearly written text well worth further study.This text is sometimes called The Secret Book of Artephius.

This edition begins with the Preface to the Reader as found in the French and Latin copies of this work. Thereafter follows The Epistle of John Pontanus. The text includes comments by Hans W Nintzel (marked HWN) and Philip N. Wheeler (marked PNW).

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