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An upward-pointing triangle, the alchemical sign for fire.
Also known as: Fire triangle
A plain upward triangle. One of the four classical element signs, and the base form from which air, water and earth are derived by inversion and a crossing bar โ a genuinely elegant piece of notation design.
Denotes fire, one of the four classical elements, in alchemical and early chemical notation.
Encoded at U+1F702 ALCHEMICAL SYMBOL FOR FIRE, though the plain upward triangle U+25B3 is what most printed and manuscript sources actually use.
Contexts: Software
The four element signs form a designed set: fire and air point upward, water and earth downward, and the two 'heavy' elements are distinguished from the two 'light' ones by a horizontal bar. The scheme is a mnemonic, not a claim about the substances.
Widely reused in modern occult, tattoo and game design as a standalone emblem of fire or passion. That use is real and recent; it is not what an alchemist meant by the sign.
A modern decorative and esoteric usage, distinct from the historical laboratory notation.
A plain triangle with one point upward and a flat horizontal base.
Air is the fire triangle with a bar across it; the bar is easily missed or dropped in reproduction.
Fire points up and water points down; the two were held to be contrary elements.
Both belong to the set of four classical element signs, built from the same triangle by inversion.