"Belladonna alla finestra: appunti per una semiotica del varco"

Who really was Aphrodite? This paper attempts to investigate the mysterious origin of the goddess as the ancient plant of mandrake-nightshade. Her mythic archeobotanical origin is moreover intertwined with the symbolic figures and the imperceptible “signs” that the philosopher’s stone exhibits throughout history. Therefore “window” and “door” may be useful to arrange a deep symbolic system in which atchitectural, botanical and mythical elements contribute to point out the hermetical origin of the myth of the stone woman.