Medieval science was heavily influenced by the practice of ALCHEMY, which was a form of chemistry that sought to transform base metals into gold and to discover the elixir of life. ALCHEMY was practiced in Europe, the Middle East, and India from the 5th century until the 17th century. It was based on the belief that all matter was composed of four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Alchemists used a variety of techniques, such as distillation, sublimation, and calcination, to try to create the desired results.