In search of traces of the mandrake myth: the historical, and ethnobotanical roots of its vernacular names
Metadatos
Mostrar el registro completo del ítemEditorial
BMC
Materia
Mandragora spp. Plant names Etymology Phytonymy
Fecha
2021-12-04Referencia bibliográfica
Dafni, A... [et al.]. In search of traces of the mandrake myth: the historical, and ethnobotanical roots of its vernacular names. J Ethnobiology Ethnomedicine 17, 68 (2021). [https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-021-00494-5]
Patrocinador
Henk and Dorothy Schussheim Fund for Ecological Studies in Mt. CarmelResumen
Background: 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.