Links to some of my favourite sources

Visualizing Medieval Medicine and Natural History, 1200-1550

Medieval Herbals: The Illustrative Traditions

Enquiry into plants and minor works on odours and weather signs, with an English translation by Sir Arthur Hort, bart.  

http://www.greekmedicine.net/Principles_of_Treatment/Herbal_Therapeutics_and_Materia_Medica.html

Practical Materia Medica of the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean According to the Cairo Genizah

 In a Unicorn's Garden

Medieval Pharmacotherapy, Continuity and Change: Case Studies from Ibn Sīnā and Some of His Late Medieval Commentators

 The Medieval Hospital and Medical Practice

 Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine: Old World and New World Traditions

An Illustrated History of the Herbals 

The Divine Origin of the Craft of the Herbalist

Medieval Herbals: The Illustrative Traditions

Dictionary of Plant Lore 

 Hildegard of Bingen's Medicine

Compendium medicinae

The Trotula: An English Translation of the Medieval Compendium of Women's Medicine

The English Housewife 

Sweet Herbs and Sundry Flowers: Medieval Gardens and the Gardens of the Cloisters

The Good Wife's Guide (Le Ménagier de Paris): Le ménagier de Paris : a medieval household book

Lavender in Winter (Lionsdale A&S 2014)

Lavender (lavandula officinalis among others) has been documented since ancient Egypt. It has gone by a multitude of names, which contribute to its allure. In an effort to limit confusion throughout this paper, all forms of lavender will be referred to by their scientific (Latin) names. The origins of the name 'lavender' have been hypothesized to have begun with washer women, lavanders from the Latin word “to wash”, would lay clothes to dry on the fragrant lavender bushes or place sprigs of it between layers of cloth before storing it. Another source states that the Romans had a practice of steeping lavender in the bathing water of the villa, providing another variation of 'lavare' to wash. During the course of my research, these are the only two explanations of the name of the herb. As with many herbs, it is difficult to prove or disprove the validity of these claims.

It is commonly accepted that the plant is native to the climate of northern Spain and was carried to other areas (such as to the Mediterranean). However, the “Venice Laws” as quoted in Practical Materia Medica of the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean According to the Cairo Genizah state “[lavender] is listed under the merchandise exported from the region (the ports of the Land of Isreal and Egypt) to Europe during the Crusader ruler (12th-13^th cent.) and afterwards.” As the Laws did not provide a Latin name for the lavender, it is impossible to determine if the two varieties are one in the same. The most widely known use for lavender is that of an aromatic, as either a stimulant or a sedative, with the occasional deviation into cuisine. My focus will be on its medicinal uses.

. Medieval beliefs about the body, its ailments and how to cure them were centered around the four humours: black bile, yellow bile, blood and phlegm. Balance of these within the body meant good health, while imbalance lead to sickness. The hot or cold, dry or wet qualities of the humours gave healers clues as to how best to return the body's equilibrium. Galen, a Greek in the early part of the first century, further defined the aspects of plants and gave them degrees; one being the weakest and four being the strongest. Saladino d'Ascoli also referred to lavender as a “hot and dry drug”. Lavender is said to be both hot and dry in the third degree, which means that it is rather potent.

'Hot' herbs were generally used to stave off chills and stimulate metabolism. Many of the herbs that fall into this category are strong in both aroma and taste. 'Dry' herbs were best used to purge the body of moisture, such as phelgm. All of the cures were determined by opposites. If you had an ailment that was cold and wet, an example being a bronchial cough, lavender with its hot and dry properties would be beneficial in easing the patients suffering and place on the road to well-being.

De Materia Medica written by Discorides, a Greek botanist in the first century was consistently used by healers, later physicians, throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Discorides claimed that lavandula officinalis and lavandula spica could be used to ease pains of the chest or as a carminative (aid for the digestive system) if prepared as follows:

1 pound bruised lavender (wrapped in a thin linen cloth) into nine gallons of must and also put in small stones so that the bundle subsides to the bottom. After 40 days strain is and put it in another jar.

My process was on a much smaller scale, as I do not have the room or money necessary for 9 gallons of juice. Using 450 millilitres of grape juice, without a chemical called sorbate which prevents fermentation, I added a teaspoon of lavender flowers in the manner prescribed by the recipe. Upon the advice of Mistress Muirghein ni Ghrainne, who has worked with fermentation, I added some wine yeast to the juice as well as the lavender. My goal is to attempt both and see which delivers the best result.

Hildegard von Bingen, a German Abbess in the 11^th century, catalogued many herbal treatments in her book, Physica. She states that lavender “...possesses the power of the strongest aromas and the usefulness of the most bitter ones. It curbs very many evil things and, because of it, malign spirits are terrified.” Spirits in this case may refer to the temperaments, often considered a synonym for humours. She claimed “...whoever cooks this [spica] lavender in wine or, if he has no wine, honey and water, and frequently drinks it when it is warm, will lessen the pain in his liver and lungs and the stiffness in his chest.” In my experience, simply adding water and herbs to honey does not allow the full potential of the elixir to be realized. The following method yields better results: Warming the honey over low heat and adding the water slowly. Once the honey has absorbed the water proceed to add the herbs. This process creates a uniform consistency, making it easier to strain and creates a smooth more complete mixture overall.

John Gerard, an herbalist from the mid-16^th century, recommends “The decoction of the husks and flowers drunke, openeth the stoppings of the liver, the lungs, the mitt , the mother, the bladder and in one worde all other inward parts, cleansing and driving forth all evill and corrupt humours, and procureth urine."

 

Two of the recipes recommend the use of wine to create the cures. This may be to the lack of clean water in the area, the believed restorative powers of the wine itself or how wine is well known for its ability to absorb the medicinal properties of herbs placed within it. Bingen's suggestion of using honey if one did not have wine, may have been to tap into the many benefits of honey as well as soften the heat of the lavender.

The heat of lavender is the very reason I have submitted it under the theme of “Winter”. Dry air can often irritate the throat and lungs, leading to coughs. Lavender can be harvested in the warmer months and then kept preserved within the home. It is important to note that all parts of the plant can be used for its volatile oil. Using lavender during the winter months could ease much of the discomfort brought by the cold.

Works Cited

Clarkson, Rosetta E. Herbs: Their Culture and Uses. New York: Macmillian Publishing  Company, 1942.

Culpeper, Nicholas. Culpeper's Medicine: A Practice of Western Holistic Medicine.

Daisley, Gilda. Herbs International & Illustrated. Chevprime Ltd, 1989.

Discorides. De Materia Medica.

Gladstar, Rosemary. Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner's Guide. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2012.

Kane, Charles W. Herbal Medicine: Trends and Traditions. Lincoln Town Press, 2009.

Kourik, Robert. The Lavender Garden Beautiful Varieties to Grow and Gather. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1998.

Laws, Bill. Fifty Plants that Changed the Course of History. Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2010.

Lev, Efrayim and Zohar 'Amar. Practical Materia Medica of the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean According to the Cairo Genizah. Brill, 2008.

Paavilainen, Helena M. Medieval Pharmacotherapy Continuity and Change: Case Studies from Ibn Sina and Some of His Late Medieval Commentators. Brill, 2009.

http://www.botanical.com

http://www.greekmedicine.net/Principles_of_Treatment/Herbal_Therapeutics_and_Materia_Medica.html

Herbal Moth Repellents

Even in this modern age, moths continue to have an appetite for wool.  Many personas within the SCA wear wool garments.  This got me thinking about the kind of sachets that would be appreciated as largess, aside from just smelling good.  Many of the combinations I have found during my web searches sound like they would smell very nice as well as being irritating to moths.

Lavender, mint, cedar, cloves, thyme, ginseng and rosemary
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/doityourself/tp/Get_Rid_of_Moths.htm

"...wormwood and rosemary were laid away with clothes as moth repellent..."
Sweet Herbs and Sundry Flowers: Medieval Gardens and the Gardens of the Cloisters


Nice recipe (http://www.sunlandherbs.com/recipes/herbal-moth-repellent/)
A pleasantly aromatic mixture of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), garden sage (Salvia officinalis), and mint (Mentha spp.) leaves said to be proven effective at repelling clothes moths from drawers and closets. This recipe adapted from one appearing in Herbs About the House by Philippa Back (London: Darton, Longman & Todd, 1977; ISBN 0-232-51389-9). An electric blender works well for reducing the dried herbs and lemon peel to a powder.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup dried rosemary leaves
• 1/2 cup dried leaves of common garden sage
• 1/2 cup dried peppermint or spearmint leaves
• 1/8 cup dried lemon or orange peel, crushed into powder (powdered lemon peel is often available in the bulk herb section of many health food stores)
• pinch powdered cinnamon
• 2 drops each natural essential oil of rosemary, sage, and peppermint (optional)
• fine-weave muslin, made into small bags (readymade muslin bags are often available in the bulk herb section of many health food stores)

PROCEDURE

1. Using a mortar and pestle or an electric blender, reduce the dried herb leaves to a rough powder.
2. In a stainless steel or ceramic bowl, mix the powdered herbs with the powdered citrus peel and the cinnamon. Add the essential oils (if using) and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon. (The aroma will be very strong.)
3. Place the herb mixture into small muslin bags. Lay the bags in drawers, or hang them in closets. The mixture’s scent will fade with time; when it does, it can be refreshed with the addition of several drops more essential oils.

Lavender: A Love Story

I couldn't think of a spiffier title, so this one will have to do for now.

In preparation for the Tir Righ A&S Competition in September, I am making a lavender cure as written in De Materia Medica:

                                        

                                      1 pound bruised lavender(wrapped in ta thin linen cloth) 

                                      into nine gallons of must (new wine/unfermented juice) 

                                      and also put in small stoned so that the bundle subsides

                                     to the bottom. After 40 days strain is and put it in another jar.

I am using grape juice, without any preservatives, as I was unable to find must in my area.  I have drastically adjusted the amounts as I have neither the room or need for 9 gallons of anything.  

Here are the pictures documenting this process:

Linen, lavender and rocks to weigh it down.

Bundle, juice and jar.

Bundle in the juice (August 19, 2013)

Herbs in juice - some sediment on the bottom of the jar (September 13, 2013)

  At the advice of another member of the Society, I am also fermenting the lavender and juice with wine yeast.  I am hoping to see which one turns out best.

The package of yeast.

The yeast in water according to the package directions.  It worked out to be about an 1/8 of a teaspoon.

Yeast, juice and lavender (August 19, 2013)

Fermentation - lots of little bubbles on the surface of the juice. (August 24, 2013)

Fermentation - no bubbles or material on the top, there is some sediment at the bottom (September 13, 2013)

Herbs I have used in sachets

Marigold (protection/legal matters), horehound (protection/mental powers), mint (travel) and yarrow (courage).
Chamomile - calming.
Lavender, peppermint and allspice - calming and spicy. 
Peppermint - calming.
Cardamom, allspice and cloves - 'autumn'.
Pepper, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom - chai.
Star anise, mullein leaf and rosemary - nightmare repellent.
Lavender- peppermint and chamomile - soothing and calming.
Cinnamon (protection), Thyme (courage) and Bay (strength) - 'warrior' mix.
Mullein and rosemary - nightmare repellent.
Rose, cinnamon and lavender - by request
Aniseed - all heal.
Vervain (protection, ♀, Earth), Marjoram (wealth, ♂, Air), Juniper (health, ♂, Fire), Catnip (happiness, ♀, Water) - Merry meet, merry part and merry meet again.
Orange peel and cinnamon - energizing.
Rose petals, cardamom and peppermint - 'Lily's Mix' 
Fennel - protection 
Dill - calming
Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and nutmeg - 'Autumn in Avacal'
Peppercorns, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Cloves, Cinnamon - 'Dana's Delicious Mix' 

Future Endeavours (prone to change)

~Norse herbs (referencing http://www.cs.vassar.edu/~capriest/vikfood.html)

~Anatomy of mulled beverages

~Herbs of the Crusades

Why Lavender Sachets?

     When I first started making sachets, mainly for largesse, I used lavender as it was easy to obtain and few were adverse to its scent.  Upon further research for other uses for lavender, I have stumbled upon some beneficial reasons to the sachets.
      Medieval and Renaissance women used to place lavender in the layers of cloth or lay freshly washed clothes on lavender to dry, thus infusing the fabric with the flowers scent.  This is attributed to why these women were called "lavenders".  The scent of lavender is a marvelous moth repellent and can also be used as a mosquito repellent. Canadian Tire is selling various lavender plants with a sign saying they will keep mosquitoes away.
      Lavender is also used to both lift and relax the spirit.  Whenever I make a sachet for a child or to ease nightmares I include lavender.  I find it relaxing and soothing, but the scent is very familiar so it can also lift my spirits.  According to Scott Cunningham "the plant is so powerful that if when depressed, one gazes upon the plant all sorrow will depart and a joyous feeling will settle upon the observer."  Hildegard of Bingen stated "It curbs very many evil thins and, because of it, malign spirits are terrified."  Not too shabby for a little purple flowered shrub.
     I gain more respect for this fragrant flower the more research I do and I happy that I can share it with others, even if they just think it smells good.

Sources:
The Lavender Garden: Beautiful Varieties to Grow and Gather by Robert Kourik 
The Completed English Translation of the Classic Work on Health and Healing translated by Priscilla Troop