Ancient Forests of Dacians and Lost Knowledges about Medicinal Plants

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 176-365

The Dacians Latin: Daci,  were an Indo-European people, part of or related to the Thracians. Dacians were the ancient inhabitants of Dacia, located in the area in and around the Carpathian Mountains and west of the Black Sea.

This area includes the present-day countries of Romania and Moldova, as well as parts of Ukraine, Eastern Serbia, Northern Bulgaria, Slovakia, Hungary and Southern Poland.The Dacians spoke the Dacian language, believed to have been closely related to Thracian.

Forest

Carpathian-Danubian Forest then Dacia have a coverage of 70% of the country.

Dacians Origin of Trees Names

In Romanian  many terms that relate to the forest are of Dacian origin .

    Bunget - Oak Forest or portion dense forest and dark thicket ;
    Forest - Forest big thick old ;
    Oak - oak species ;
    Buds ;
    stone ;
    And so on




Folk Habits Related to TreesAll of the Gauls have the word " tree " that had a complex symbolism , was a series of events related to the life : marriage ( wedding guests accompanying the pine tree ) house construction ( attach a tree  on the top of the house on its completion ) , death ( pine tree accompanying the funeral procession ) .

More about Dacians

The typical dress of Dacians, both men and women, can be seen on Trajan's column.
Dio Chrysostom described the Dacians as natural philosophers.

History and Religion

According to Herodotus' account of the story of Zalmoxis or Zamolxis, the Getae (speaking the same language as the Dacians, according to Strabo) believed in the immortality of the soul, and regarded death as merely a change of country.

Their chief priest held a prominent position as the representative of the supreme deity, Zalmoxis, who is called also Gebeleizis by some among them.Strabo wrote about the high priest Decaeneus: "a man who not only had wandered through Egypt, but also had thoroughly learned certain prognostics through which he would pretend to tell the divine will; and within a short time he was set up as god .

Ancient Knowledge about Plants of the Forests 

Plants are considered living beings who hear, see, feel, suffer, have souls.

Thus under this belief is used to cure hernia willow, bush (Rosa canina) for epilepsy, elm to get rid of warts.

The popular wisdom asserts the importance of maintaining relations with the earth. ? peasants often walk barefoot in summer

Since the time of the Dacians , a number of plants growing in Romania, were known and employed as healing herbs , the reputation of some of them going so far as to popular perception appear today as endowed with extraordinary virtues .

Atropa belladona

 Many of these plants are considered sacred , as if  belladonna ( Atropa belladona ) . Other plants, such as garlic , Avrămeasa , lovage , wormwood , and others pay homage to the spirits or ghosts are nasty and used as such by the peasants.  

Love Heaven ( Sedum Fabara )

By meadows or near streams often increase a plant with pink flowers purple or mass called Love Heaven ( Sedum Fabara ) .

 In spring, this plant is brought from places where growing and planted in the garden of the house , instead of protected , clean, in the belief that love is protective , defending the people of the house of the wicked , who want to ruin it .

 In some villages, the flourishes , break one wire for each of the house, put the beam and the wire whose dry is said to die in that year , but if the winds increase as beam, is a sign that will live long . Weeds are collected cure both spring and fall.  

Sulfina

 Other plantshave well established data gathering . The Sulfina ( Melieotus officinale) is collected only on the day of Midsummer and Cross Day and Seminocul ( Medicago falcata ), also called vortex tighten only time Earth sickle .

Mătrăguna

 Mătrăguna ( Atropa belladonna ) is a plant hallucinating ( visions that gives consumption are similar to those given by Peyotl , but accompanied by terrifying experiences , affective disorders ) , such as those of Mrs. Forests , Ms. great Grass ( flower ) Forests , empress ( weeds ) , which is used in many magical practices . All parts of the plant , maiales roots , leaves and fruits are rich in alkaloids, with a strong action on the nervous system . Rite harvest mandrake must be achieved during the full moon in April-May 

Mătrăguna  Although dangerous , the poisonous Mătrăguna is sometimes used for various diseases of long duration , eating her giving a kind of " crazy " followed by complete healing . Few but those who resort to this means , it can even lead to death . Mătrăguna medicinal purposes only , collected all the ritual , was put on the bumps. Leafy surrounds treat cough and kneaded root is used against rheumatism.

(beasts grass - Actaea spicata)

Miraculous plant Romanians awarded the highest magical virtues beasts grass - Actaea spicata  . So who and embed it under the skin of the palm , can not even handcuffed , the touch can unlock any lock. Does ownership that the one who possesses the weapons to defend iron , attract money to her master , gives understanding the language of animals and plants. With it you can open locked doors that lead to hidden treasures underground . Beliefs about this unusual plant ; It is said that it is very difficult , and only a few people possess , being able to open any lock , any lock. It is believed that there is one common herbs , but only one year stay in the same place , in the second year three rivers rising and so on, until the ninth year , when it returns to the same place .

Angelica ( Angelica arhangelica )

A herb elixir that maintain youth and health is Angelica ( Angelica arhangelica ) .  

Henbane ( Hyoscyamus niger )

Henbane ( Hyoscyamus niger ) , also called Nebunariţă grows near roads, greasy and wet places among the rubble , scavenging generally through pathless places . Its seeds are small, black and sit in a capsule cap top. In villages , the seeds were employed Măselariţei the pain of toothache .

Elderberry ( Sambucus nigra )

Elderberry ( Sambucus nigra ) is a small tree spread on the rivers , along fences, in places forgotten by forests. Does honey and flowers recognized medical virtues , and the branches were in the middle a white pith removed easily , which explains their use in the manufacture of whistles. It is said that a ghost lives in Soc enemy who keeps treasures buried beneath it , leaving no one to approach them. Flower Cottage shock întrebunţează cough medicine has emphysema ( drink the infusion) , hoarseness ( making a stew of elderflower and chamomile to drink at bedtime , wrapped well sickly sweat ) , pox of wind ( chickenpox ) and scrophula ( tonsillitis ) . From elderflower prepare a refreshing drink , Socata , which many Romanian consumed as a spring cleaning . Elder flower tea increases the amount of milk in lactating women .

Garlic ( Allium sativum )

Both Garlic ( Allium sativum ) autumn, and the summer ( especially after the manner of planting ) is used in various remedies , incantations and spells . The fall , however , as connoisseurs say , is much better at cures and spells . Garlic is the best defense against unclean spirits .

Avrămeasca ( Gratiola officinalis )

In the category of spirits and ghosts plant reject part and Avrămeasca ( Gratiola officinalis ) (also called compassionate and Christian ) . It is a poisonous plant with irritating properties and is considered a drastic emetic dangerous.

Boz ( Sambucus ebulus )

The plant which legally has the same medicinal properties as shock pharmaceuticals , but much the stronger is called Boz ( Sambucus ebulus ) . He is directly involved in the rites of invocation of rain in times of drought or certain important days in the calendar view in the development of vegetation .

SANZIENELE ( called Nedeia or Dragaica )

SANZIENELE ( called Nedeia or Dragaica ), which is taken on 24 June . These plants are fragrant golden yellow flowers that grow in meadows , the orchards or forest edges . Midsummer night is the night of June 24 , the night everywhere recognized today as having magical virtues . In the middle of the night is set for a quiet time when the scales are all phenomenal , is a point of contact between our world and the " other world " .  

Annato (Bixa orellana L.) insect repellant plant used for diarrhea and dysentery.

By Liliana Usvat
175-365

Native to the Amazon forests of Peru and Brazil, annatto is a shrub or small tree with heart-shaped leaves, lovely pinkish-lavender flowers.

This pink flowering shrub is cultivated for the red/orange dye that comes from it's dried seeds. The seeds are used in cooking to color food such as rice, margarine and soup.

Commonly known as annatto seed in the States, the correct term for the seeds of an annatto tree is achiote seeds. Native to South America, they have been used to color food and cosmetics. These seeds have a peppermint scent and a slightly peppery taste with just a hint of bitterness.

 

Medicinal Uses

Annatto is a plant. The seed and leaf are used to make medicine.

People take annatto for diabetes, diarrhea, fevers, fluid retention, heartburn, malaria, and hepatitis. They also use it as an antioxidant and bowel cleanser.

Annatto is sometimes put directly on the affected area to treat burns and vaginal infections and to repel insects.

Water in which young leaves have been crushed and then strained, has been taken for diarrhea and dysentery.

An ethyl alcohol extract of dried Annatto fruit was shown to have in vitro activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and an ethyl alcohol extract of dried leaves showed the same. Annatto leaves containe favonoids and the seeds contain carotenoids.

Other Uses

Annatto, sometimes called roucou or achiote, is derived from the seeds of the achiote trees of tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The seeds are sourced to produce a carotenoid-based yellow to orange food coloring and flavor. Its scent is described as "slightly peppery with a hint of nutmeg" and flavor as "slightly nutty, sweet and peppery"

They were used by the Caribs and Central American Indians for body paint and insect repellant. Ants that feed off the nectar at the flower base and on the main stem help to protect the plant from harmful creatures.

It is used in industrialized nations as a food coloring replacement for red dye #2, which was determined to be a carcinogenic.

The seeds can be ground and added to soups and stews or made into a paste to be spread on fish or pork before grilling.

History

The original Aztec drinking chocolate is reported to have contained annatto seeds as well; given their high fat content, this is entirely plausible, even more since the crimson red colour bears associations with blood and thus had religious connotations in Aztec society. Using annatto to deepen the colour of chocolate was common in Europe until the 17.th century; today, the spice has little if any significance and is used occasionally to give butter and cheese a deep yellow colour.

Around the World

In the Carib­bean, the seeds are usually fried in (animal or vegetable) fat; after dis­carding the seeds, the then golden-​yellow fat is used to fry vege­tables or meat. By this pro­cedure, a golden yellow to golden brown colour is achieved. Mexican cooks often use a paste (achiote) of annatto seeds with some preser­vatives (acetic acid) that dis­solves completely in hot fat; it is easy to use and can also be added to mari­nades and sauces to improve the colour. Similar use is found in South America, namely, Perú and Bolivia.

In South México (Yucatán), meat is often marinated with a spice mixture called recado that derives its vibrantly yellow colour from liberal addition of annatto.

The annatto seeds may be used ground (often after soaking in hot water to soften them) or in form of annatto oil. Recado is made from annatto, dried oregano, ground spices (black pepper, allspice and cumin), garlic and fiery Yucatecan chiles.

They key flavour is the juice of bitter oranges (also known as sour oranges or Seville oranges) which adds a distinct, acidic fruitiness.

Liliana Usvat: Cerasee for Diabetis

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