Herbs used by our Germanic ancestors

[Hærfest Leah]

Is anyone familiar with what herbs were commonly used by our Heathen ancestors? What grew in the areas of North & Western Europe back then that we can use today, say for offerings and what else not.

I like to use essential oils and I'd like to use some that are indigenous/ native to my ancestors lands that they may have also used. (although not necessarily in oil form)
Ones I have come across so far are Sweet Marjoram, Pine, Silver fir Needle, Dill, Angelica, Arnica, Mugwort, White Birch, & Caraway, still searching.

I also am learning how to cook German, Belgiam & Celtic foods. I have cookbooks for all these (no scandinavian yet) and they list the commonly used cooking herbs in them, so I have that which could be a start to the ones now made into essential oils.

I know this could have gone in the Green Room but I thought it fit better here since the subject is directly related to Heathen & Recon things.

[MysticWitch]

what about

sweet grass
lemon grass
sun flower seeds


I have no idea :foh:

[Driffinna]

I have actually wondered this myself a few times. I am not sure where one would look that up.

[Hærfest Leah]

Is anyone familiar with what herbs were commonly used by our Heathen ancestors? What grew in the areas of North & Western Europe back then that we can use today, say for offerings and what else not.

I like to use essential oils and I'd like to use some that are indigenous/ native to my ancestors lands that they may have also used. (although not necessarily in oil form)
Ones I have come across so far are Sweet Marjoram, Pine, Silver fir Needle, Dill, Angelica, Arnica, Mugwort, White Birch, & Caraway, still searching.

I also am learning how to cook German, Belgiam & Celtic foods. I have cookbooks for all these (no scandinavian yet) and they list the commonly used cooking herbs in them, so I have that which could be a start to the ones now made into essential oils.

I know this could have gone in the Green Room but I thought it fit better here since the subject is directly related to Heathen & Recon things.

Edited to add: I just came across some site talking about 9 seacred herbs discovered by Odin.
http://www.cauldronfarm.com/herbal/song.html

[mothwench]

well... herbs native to germany include (those that you hadn't listed yet):
yarrow, woodruff (it grows all over the place here and it's my very favorite :floating: ) fly agaric, sorrel, dog rose (for rose hips)....

actually, i'd save time if i told you which ones aren't native, which were imported in the middle ages: sage, lemon balm, thyme, lavender, basil, parsley, rosemary, very obvious ones like vanilla and cinamon and ginger... there are more but i can't think of any at the moment.
non native trees that grow here include acacia, sumach, and weeping willow (other willows like white or crack willow are okay.)
i'll come back here when i think of any more.

a good traditional oil to cook with is thistle oil (not olive or sunflower) it congeals when it goes cold which is why most people think it's kinda gross. but it's very healthy.

Edited to add: I just came across some site talking about 9 seacred herbs discovered by Odin.
http://www.cauldronfarm.com/herbal/song.html
that's very cool. but it seems it's just as much a riddle as the rune stanzas of the havamal. i don't know which herbs he's talking about (well, except chervil and fennel). :huh: una? waybread? stune? :awilly:
i must have a look at that in more detail, to see if i can discern which herbs they are. this site seems to have some translations http://www.heorot.dk/woden-9herbs.html but i wouldn't put my money on them because i know that cress does not grow on stone. :hmmmmm:

also, i have to refer you to grimm (again! :rolleyes: :lol: ) go to chapter 37: herbs and stones. http://www.northvegr.org/lore/grimmst/

[Hærfest Leah]

Thanks mothwench for the info. Oh and I love Grimm. :)

The ones I mentioned were listed in my aromatherapy book as native to the land, I skipped the ones where it stated when they were brought to the area.

[mothwench]

ah, right. then i'll post more that grow here as i think of them. um, you need to pm mol or someone to merge the two threads together. i just got the confusement of a lifetime when i wandered into the other thread. :lol: (prolly server acting funny or something.)

[Hærfest Leah]

Oh I didn't even know there was a duplicate, oops.

Hey I just came across something in my book. (Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils by Julia Lawless.) Under Roman Chamomile it says " it was one of the Saxons nine sacred herbs, which they called 'maythen'."

And that is also listed under chamomile on another page on that web site about the nine herbs. Hmmmm
http://www.cauldronfarm.com/herbal/nineherbs.html

[Carla O'Harris]

I presume you're familiar with Stephen Pollington's Leechcraft : Early English Charms, Plantlore and Healing :

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1898281238/103-9623842-3311044?v=glance&n=283155

This is really an excellent book, and not just a discussion, but a new translation from Anglo-Saxon of Bald's Leechbook, the Old English Herbarium, and Lacnunga.

If you want herbals as close to the heathen mindstate as possible (within centuries of conversion) written in the heathen language, this is the book to get. It is well worth its price.

[Cindlady2]

The 9 sacred herbs?.... Let me get my staff!

1. Mugwort
2. Plantain
3. Watercress
4. Betony
5. Chamomile
6. Nettle
7. Crab Apple
8. Chervil
9. Fennel

or another version

1. Valerian
2. Chamomile
3. Catnip
4. Goldenseal
5. Skullcap
6. calendula
7. Hops
8. St. John's Wort
9. Lady's Slipper
10. Yarrow
11. Willow
12. Buckthorn
13. Wormwood
14. Vervain
15. Echinacea
16. Oak
17. Mistletoe

[mothwench]

calendula is from india, afaik. but i could be wrong. :huh:

steven pollington's leechcraft is on my amazon wish list. shame it's so expensive.

[Cindlady2]

It is in the marigold family, of which there are about 20 types. The one they speak of is mid european.

[ap Dafydd]

Didn't Hildegard of Bingen write a herbal which it is believed was based on folk tradition?

I think her works are on line somethere, try searching.

gwyn eich byd

Ffred

[Hærfest Leah]

Didn't Hildegard of Bingen write a herbal which it is believed was based on folk tradition?

I think her works are on line somethere, try searching.

gwyn eich byd

Ffred

Found this on her so far, haven't had time to dive any deeper yet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildegard_of_Bingen

[ILOVEAUTUMNS]

was blessed sweet mary jane used ? :)

[mothwench]

apparently... yes, but only sativa, not indica. it was grown for fibres, and much later on smoked as "the poor man's tobacco". didn't get people high, though. :)

[banondraig]

i've heard of quite a few people getting high on sativa, but then maybe it has to be specially bred for that. :whatgives

[mothwench]

i wouldn't know. :halohead: i'm so over that. :abanana: hang on, remember last year the cannabis plant that grew in the front yard from the birdseed? that didn't get anyone high.

[banondraig]

bad plant! :lol:

[Maggie]

Didn't Hildegard of Bingen write a herbal which it is believed was based on folk tradition?

I think her works are on line somethere, try searching.

gwyn eich byd

Ffred

I have a copy; a quick run-through shows she used common grains, spices, as well as a lot of herbs. According to Hildegard, licorice is of benefit to an insane person, and nutmeg is good for palsy of the brain.

Feverfew,spike lavender, lungwort, hart's tongue fern, hops, rue, fennel...

Maggie

[Hærfest Leah]

I presume you're familiar with Stephen Pollington's Leechcraft : Early English Charms, Plantlore and Healing :

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1898281238/103-9623842-3311044?v=glance&n=283155

This is really an excellent book, and not just a discussion, but a new translation from Anglo-Saxon of Bald's Leechbook, the Old English Herbarium, and Lacnunga.

If you want herbals as close to the heathen mindstate as possible (within centuries of conversion) written in the heathen language, this is the book to get. It is well worth its price.

I'm sorry I keep meaning to reply to this, sorry so late. I had not heard of this book but I've looked at it now and thus added it to my wish list. Thanks for the suggestion.