Spices, herbs and folk beliefs

In Greece and Rome the planting of basil was accompanied by cursing, without which the plant would not flourish A wolf's tooth wrapped in a bay leaf gathered in August would prevent anyone from speaking an angry word to the wearer In ancient times cinnamon ranked as high in value as gold and frankincense You should never cut parsley if you are in love. If you give it away, you give away your luck; nor should you accept it as a gift -- if you must have it, steal it

ANK – Turkish Daily News

Beyond their functions as taste-providers, spices and herbs such as basil, bay leaves, cinnamon, cumin, parsley or dill have age-old folkloric and symbolic meanings and value. For example, some spices such as cinnamon were once considered to be more valuable than gold, while others were believed to restrain wandering lovers, restore ailing minds or heal ills.

Whether you believe any of these folk beliefs or not, take them all with a pinch of salt, as the saying goes.

Bay leaves

A wolf's tooth wrapped in a bay leaf gathered in August will prevent anyone from speaking an angry word to the wearer. The laurel (bay) tree, according to the ancient Greeks, is sacred to Apollo, who once loved Daphne, the daughter of the river god, Peneus. She fled from the god and sought the protection of her father who changed her into a laurel tree. From then on Apollo wore bay leaves and a garland or crown made of the leaves became the award for victory or excellence.

For pleasant dreams put bay leaves under your pillow. If burning bay leaves crack noisily, good luck will come; it is a bad sign for them to burn without snapping. The British regarded the bay as a symbol of resurrection for a long time, since a withered laurel tree will revive from its roots.

To the herbalists the bay was a herb of the sun, under the celestial sign of Leo and protection against witches, the devil, and thunder and lightning. The Romans believed that lightning never struck a laurel tree.

Cumin

In ancient Greece, the cumin plant, whose seeds are used commonly as a condiment, symbolized meanness and cupidity; in parts of Italy and Germany cumin is put in bread to prevent wood spirits from stealing it. Italians also apparently feed it to their birds to tame them and to make them content with their homes. One ancient physician believed that it made "the countenance pallid, and that if it is fed to lovers, they will remain faithful."

Basil

In folk belief, basil is paradoxically both sacred and dedicated to the "Evil One." In India holy basil or tulasi is sacred to both Vishnu and Lakshmi. It is grown in pots near every part of the body, ensures children to those who desire them, and opens the gates of heaven to the pious.

In ancient Greece and Rome the planting of basil was accompanied by cursing, without which the plant would not flourish. In Moldova its enchanted flowers would stop a wandering youth and make him love the girl who hands him a sprig. In Africa it is eaten so that one will not feel the sting of scorpions, but in some places eating the plant breeds scorpions in the brain!

Cinnamon

The first mention of this spice, which is made from the aromatic inner bark of a tree of the laurel family, is in an ancient Chinese manuscript of 2700 B.C. Used as a perfume by the Arabs and Jews, it was one of the first items of trade in the East. The Jews used it in the anointing oil in their temples. Only a shaman had the sole right to gather the bark, and the first bundle was dedicated to the sun. In early times it ranked as high in value as gold and frankincense. The spice was said to make an excellent tonic for the system that would then develop immunity to disease. In early times cassia was thought to be an inferior quality of cinnamon and they were used interchangeably. Cassia was used in the embalming fluid of the Egyptians.

Mint

In classical mythology Pluto was in love with a nymph named Mintha, but his jealous wife turned her into the mint plant whose beauty still attracts through its fragrance. Mint was one of the herbs known and valued by the ancient Hebrews, indeed, "tithes of mint" are mentioned in the New Testament. It has been a popular herb in the British Isles where it was introduced by the Romans, and is mentioned as one of the "sweet herbs" used for strewing over floors in Elizabethan times. In Bolivia it is believed that anyone who finds mint in bloom on St. John's Day will have happiness forever.

Parsley

Parsley was regarded in the ancient world as being sacred to the dead. Wreaths of it were given to winners of funeral games, and the Greeks and Romans both used it to decorate graves.

The people of Devon believed that its transplantation would result in death in the immediate family and that the devil would take charge of the garden. In London even growing parsley in the garden would cause a family death and if planted on Good Friday it would grow double, with unclear results. To be in need of parsley means to be at death's door.

You should never cut parsley if you are in love. If you give it away, you give away your luck; nor should you accept it as a gift -- if you must have it, steal it. On the other hand, babies are found in parsley beds; it rendered the fumes of wine harmless (in Rome) and according to another source parsley would cure sick fishes if thrown into the ponds they inhabit. According to one early herbalist, the leaves distilled in water made a decoction that would remove superfluous hair; the roots, powdered and drunk in wine, promoted a sound brain, perfect memory and purified the blood.

Dill

In some parts of the world, it was abhorrent to witches, but elsewhere it was freely used in their own witch-brews. It was in general used to relieve flatulence, colic and obesity. In Prussia the steam from an infusion of dill was inhaled to stop toothache. In England, boiled in wine, its fumes were inhaled to halt hiccups, and the ashes of the seeds were used in cases of scalding and on venereal infections.

Thyme

Thyme is a herb of Venus and Mars (her husband) and a symbol of strength and is loved by bees and fairies, especially in the North of England. Fair ladies of the Middle Ages gave a sprig of thyme to their knights to increase their strength and courage in battle. On St. Agnes' Eve, if a young girl places a sprig of thyme in one shoe and a sprig of rosemary in the other and one on either side of the bed, she will dream of love and of the man she will marry. In ancient times thyme was strewn about the house to drive out vermin and provide a pleasant odor.

Medicinally, thyme was said to be good for depression and to strengthen the head, brain, stomach, and lungs. Used in baths it cleared the skin and soothed the nervous system. It was also a cure for insomnia and the 17th century physician Parkinson recommended distilled water of thyme and vinegar of roses applied to the head to guard against "frensye" or nightmare.

Rosemary

It is said to be an herb of the sun under the dominion of the ram. Ophelia's famous line, "Rosemary, that's for remembrance," expressed the common knowledge of the day. Rosemary has been symbolic of remembrance, fidelity and friendship since early times. In this connection it has been used as a funeral wreath and in wedding ceremonies. In medieval Germany, some brides used it to guard against pregnancy; meanwhile, in ancient Greece, students would entwine the herb into their hair while studying for exams, also "for remembrance," and also because it was believed to bring success to any undertaking.

It was one of the early strewing herbs because of its pleasing odor and because it kept out moths, vermin and evil spirits. A sprig under the bed induced sound sleep and protected one from harm and nightmares. The Romans used rosemary to crown the heads of their guests and of their household gods. In the Netherlands it is called elf-leaf.

Christian legend says that the rosemary opened up to give Mary and the infant Jesus shelter from Herod's soldiers on their flight to Egypt, hence its dull white flowers were given the blue color of the Virgin's mantle. Another Christian legend has it that the shrub doesn't grow any higher than Christ's height on earth and that at the age of 33 years it ceases to grow and increases only in breadth.

Because rosemary is considered an herb of remembrance, it is a remedy for all diseases of the brain and is strengthening to the mind in all forms.

Saffron

The dried-orange colored stigmas of the autumn crocus (Crocus satvium) have been used for their color, flavor and fragrance for ages in the Old World. The ancient Hebrews valued saffron, while it was cherished for its bright yellow color in the Orient and the Middle East, especially Greece. It was sprinkled in ancient Greek theaters, courts and rooms as a scent and deodorant while the Romans used it to perfume giant baths and to sprinkle in the streets.

The ancient Indians and Greeks considered saffron as a strong aphrodisiac; mention is made of the spice in the “Arabian Nights” as an aphrodisiac so strong that it makes women swoon. Its perfume is listed as one of the two things that "corrupt women," the other being gold. The Arabs, meanwhile, kept saffron in the house to repel a particular type of lizard; they also believed that it dispelled melancholy.

German peasants carried it in the 15th century to ward off the plague. In Ireland women to wash their sheets so that their arms and legs will be strengthened during sleep use crocus.

In Ku-lin, China, people rub saffron on their bodies after a bath so that their skin resembles the gold body of Buddha, while pregnant women in Persia wear a ball of it on their stomach to ensure a speedy delivery and expulsion of the afterbirth.

Sage

Sage is considered the herb of Zeus (Jupiter) and has been used for the spicing of rich meats. It has long been held to promote longevity and to strengthen the brain as well as the muscles. Sage vinegar was once used as a protection from the plague but is now usually used as a gargle or to whiten the teeth. The Jicarilla Apache apparently call the plant "ghost medicine" and brush the patient with it to repel bad dreams and nightmares. In the rural United States sage leaves are used to keep away ants. Some African American people in Georgia believe that the names of the 12 Apostles written on sage leaves and worn in the shoes during a lawsuit will ensure a favorable verdict.

Garlic

Garlic was especially recommended in times of plague and is said to have the power to drive away evil in the shape of demons, witches, vampires or the evil eye. It is hung in houses or around the neck for this purpose. In one part of India, however, the residents believe that the presence of evil spirits may be detected by the smell of garlic in the air. Roman soldiers ate garlic in the belief that it gave courage in battle while bullfighters from the Aymara Indians of Bolivia carry a piece on their persons into the ring, believing that if the bull smells it, it will not charge.

Reference: Funk & Wagnall's "The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend," edited by Maria Leach. Published by Harper & Row.