In search of traces of the mandrake myth: the historical, and ethnobotanical roots of its vernacular names
Аутори
Dafn, AmotsBlanché, Cesar
Khatib, Salekh Aqil
Petanidou, Theodora
Aytaç, Bedrettin
Pacini, Ettore
Kohazurova, Ekaterina
Geva‑Kleinberger, Aharon
Shahvar, Soli
Dajić, Zora
Klug, Helmut W.
Benítez, Guillermo
Чланак у часопису (Објављена верзија)
Метаподаци
Приказ свих података о документуАпстракт
Mandrake (Mandragora spp.) is one of the most famous medicinal plant in western cultures since Biblical times and throughout written history. In many cultures, mandrake is related to magic and witchcraft, which is said to have a psychosomatic effect (especially when mandrake contains narcotic compounds) in addition to the pharmacological influence, as occurs with other narcotic magical plants. Due to its unique properties and related myths, it is not surprising that this plant has many names in many languages. Methods: This paper presents an attempt to reconstruct the historical, ethnobotanical, and folkloristic roots of 292 vernacular names of Mandragora spp. in forty-one languages. We used the plant’s morphological data, philology, myths and legends, medicinal properties and uses, as well as historical evidence and folkloric data, to explain meaning, origin, migration, and history of the plant’s names. Results: The names were classified into the following main categories: Derivatives... of mandragora (19 languages), alraun (7) and of yabroukh (5). The salient groups of the plant’s vernacular names are related to: Anthropomorphism (33 names in 13 languages); Similarity to other plants (28/9); Supernatural agents (28/9); Narcotic effects (21/8); Leaves, fruits, and seeds (21/8); Aphrodisiac properties (17/10); Use of a dog (15/9); Gallows (14/5); Black magic, sorcery, witchcraft (13/8), and Medicinal use (11/7). Conclusions: This frequency distribution of the mandrake’s vernacular names reflects its widespread reputation as related to the doctrine of signatures, beliefs in its supernatural, natural, and mythic powers, and to a lesser extent, its uses in magic and medicine. A spatiotemporal analysis of the mandrake’s names supports the old idea that the pulling ceremonies for this plant originated in the Near East and that various other myths related to this plant may have originated in different places and periods.
Кључне речи:
Etymology / Mandragora spp / Phytonymy / Plant namesИзвор:
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2021, 17, 1, 68-Издавач:
- BioMed Central Ltd
DOI: 10.1186/s13002-021-00494-5
ISSN: 1746-4269
WoS: 000726267800001
Scopus: 2-s2.0-85120736459
Институција/група
Poljoprivredni fakultetTY - JOUR AU - Dafn, Amots AU - Blanché, Cesar AU - Khatib, Salekh Aqil AU - Petanidou, Theodora AU - Aytaç, Bedrettin AU - Pacini, Ettore AU - Kohazurova, Ekaterina AU - Geva‑Kleinberger, Aharon AU - Shahvar, Soli AU - Dajić, Zora AU - Klug, Helmut W. AU - Benítez, Guillermo PY - 2021 UR - http://aspace.agrif.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/5990 AB - Mandrake (Mandragora spp.) is one of the most famous medicinal plant in western cultures since Biblical times and throughout written history. In many cultures, mandrake is related to magic and witchcraft, which is said to have a psychosomatic effect (especially when mandrake contains narcotic compounds) in addition to the pharmacological influence, as occurs with other narcotic magical plants. Due to its unique properties and related myths, it is not surprising that this plant has many names in many languages. Methods: This paper presents an attempt to reconstruct the historical, ethnobotanical, and folkloristic roots of 292 vernacular names of Mandragora spp. in forty-one languages. We used the plant’s morphological data, philology, myths and legends, medicinal properties and uses, as well as historical evidence and folkloric data, to explain meaning, origin, migration, and history of the plant’s names. Results: The names were classified into the following main categories: Derivatives of mandragora (19 languages), alraun (7) and of yabroukh (5). The salient groups of the plant’s vernacular names are related to: Anthropomorphism (33 names in 13 languages); Similarity to other plants (28/9); Supernatural agents (28/9); Narcotic effects (21/8); Leaves, fruits, and seeds (21/8); Aphrodisiac properties (17/10); Use of a dog (15/9); Gallows (14/5); Black magic, sorcery, witchcraft (13/8), and Medicinal use (11/7). Conclusions: This frequency distribution of the mandrake’s vernacular names reflects its widespread reputation as related to the doctrine of signatures, beliefs in its supernatural, natural, and mythic powers, and to a lesser extent, its uses in magic and medicine. A spatiotemporal analysis of the mandrake’s names supports the old idea that the pulling ceremonies for this plant originated in the Near East and that various other myths related to this plant may have originated in different places and periods. PB - BioMed Central Ltd T2 - Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine T1 - In search of traces of the mandrake myth: the historical, and ethnobotanical roots of its vernacular names IS - 1 SP - 68 VL - 17 DO - 10.1186/s13002-021-00494-5 ER -
@article{ author = "Dafn, Amots and Blanché, Cesar and Khatib, Salekh Aqil and Petanidou, Theodora and Aytaç, Bedrettin and Pacini, Ettore and Kohazurova, Ekaterina and Geva‑Kleinberger, Aharon and Shahvar, Soli and Dajić, Zora and Klug, Helmut W. and Benítez, Guillermo", year = "2021", abstract = "Mandrake (Mandragora spp.) is one of the most famous medicinal plant in western cultures since Biblical times and throughout written history. In many cultures, mandrake is related to magic and witchcraft, which is said to have a psychosomatic effect (especially when mandrake contains narcotic compounds) in addition to the pharmacological influence, as occurs with other narcotic magical plants. Due to its unique properties and related myths, it is not surprising that this plant has many names in many languages. Methods: This paper presents an attempt to reconstruct the historical, ethnobotanical, and folkloristic roots of 292 vernacular names of Mandragora spp. in forty-one languages. We used the plant’s morphological data, philology, myths and legends, medicinal properties and uses, as well as historical evidence and folkloric data, to explain meaning, origin, migration, and history of the plant’s names. Results: The names were classified into the following main categories: Derivatives of mandragora (19 languages), alraun (7) and of yabroukh (5). The salient groups of the plant’s vernacular names are related to: Anthropomorphism (33 names in 13 languages); Similarity to other plants (28/9); Supernatural agents (28/9); Narcotic effects (21/8); Leaves, fruits, and seeds (21/8); Aphrodisiac properties (17/10); Use of a dog (15/9); Gallows (14/5); Black magic, sorcery, witchcraft (13/8), and Medicinal use (11/7). Conclusions: This frequency distribution of the mandrake’s vernacular names reflects its widespread reputation as related to the doctrine of signatures, beliefs in its supernatural, natural, and mythic powers, and to a lesser extent, its uses in magic and medicine. A spatiotemporal analysis of the mandrake’s names supports the old idea that the pulling ceremonies for this plant originated in the Near East and that various other myths related to this plant may have originated in different places and periods.", publisher = "BioMed Central Ltd", journal = "Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine", title = "In search of traces of the mandrake myth: the historical, and ethnobotanical roots of its vernacular names", number = "1", pages = "68", volume = "17", doi = "10.1186/s13002-021-00494-5" }
Dafn, A., Blanché, C., Khatib, S. A., Petanidou, T., Aytaç, B., Pacini, E., Kohazurova, E., Geva‑Kleinberger, A., Shahvar, S., Dajić, Z., Klug, H. W.,& Benítez, G.. (2021). In search of traces of the mandrake myth: the historical, and ethnobotanical roots of its vernacular names. in Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine BioMed Central Ltd., 17(1), 68. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-021-00494-5
Dafn A, Blanché C, Khatib SA, Petanidou T, Aytaç B, Pacini E, Kohazurova E, Geva‑Kleinberger A, Shahvar S, Dajić Z, Klug HW, Benítez G. In search of traces of the mandrake myth: the historical, and ethnobotanical roots of its vernacular names. in Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2021;17(1):68. doi:10.1186/s13002-021-00494-5 .
Dafn, Amots, Blanché, Cesar, Khatib, Salekh Aqil, Petanidou, Theodora, Aytaç, Bedrettin, Pacini, Ettore, Kohazurova, Ekaterina, Geva‑Kleinberger, Aharon, Shahvar, Soli, Dajić, Zora, Klug, Helmut W., Benítez, Guillermo, "In search of traces of the mandrake myth: the historical, and ethnobotanical roots of its vernacular names" in Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 17, no. 1 (2021):68, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-021-00494-5 . .