The Bladen Journal reports that a mummified hand found in Castleton, North Yorkshire, England is the only known ‘Hand of Glory’, a grotesque artifact meant to aid thieves in their work during the night, still in existence.
Medicinal Herb Book [opium: ' papava' above or Papapver as the genus name is nowadays] ...
She is an elvish maiden whose skin holds doors to many realms. Fae from old times weave flowers in her hair which is imprinted with the stories of the magic oaks.
Toxic plants have interesting folklore, but find out why henbane, wolfsbane and mandrake are an essential part of any witch's pantry!
Rape in the Middle Ages was seen as a routine part of women’s lives, even as it was condemned. How far have we really come?
One corner of the garden of Alnwick Castle in northern England grows a hundred plants behind lock and key. Many of the toxic species there were used by medieval doctors — nasty plants adapted to heal.
Selections from a beautifully illustrated 15th century version of the 'Tractatus de Herbis', a book produced to help apothecaries and physicians from different linguistic backgrounds identify plants they used in their daily medical practice. No narrative text is present in this version, simply pictures and the names of each plant written in various languages - a technique which revolutionised botanical literature, allowing as it did for easier transcultural exchanges of scientific knowledge. This particular 'Tractaus de Herbis', thought to date from around about 1440 AD and known as Sloane 4016 (its shelf-mark in the British Library), hails from the Lombardy
Isn't God a great artist? Thanks for looking. Exposed roots along a walking path in Fall River Park, Greenville, SC. The tree seemed to be quite healthy. I believe it's a beech. More detail with larger sizes. GustavoG (see comment below) suggested that I manipulate this photo. I have, more or less, followed his suggestion, which I thank him for! The result is here. I am especially grateful, because both of them made the Flickr Explore pages. * * * * * * In other parts, the whole of the immediately surrounding foliage was illuminated by the interwoven dances in the air of splendidly coloured fire-flies, which sped hither and thither, turned, twisted, crossed, and recrossed, entwining every complexity of intervolved motion. Here and there, whole mighty trees glowed with an emitted phosphorescent light. You could trace the very course of the great roots in the earth by the faint light that came through; and every twig, and every vein on every leaf was a streak of pale fire. - George MacDonald, Phantastes, Chapter 4 (public domain).
In honor of Amy Stewart - author of "Wicked Plants" - and her free talk at the nursery on Sunday, April 10 at 11 am - we present you with...
Откуда к Пушкину белочка пришла
Note: A shorter version of this article was published in the March/April 2016 issue of LCM: Library of Congress Magazine. Download a pdf here. We also transformed this article into episode 6 of our podcast. Find the podcast at this link! Scan your favorite newspapers or news websites this April 1, and chances are you’ll …
Universities have changed significantly since the Middle Ages. James Axtell describes just how far higher education has come in his new book, Wisdom's Workshop.
296 today's experiment facebook page
“I have a new little buddy that I’m training to be my personal sorcerer root plant,” Raven Grimassi says.
Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, BSB Clm 3003, image 106 (Humility). Speculum salvationis humanae metrice cum figuris pictis. Pugna virtutum et vitiorum cum figuris pictis. 14th century.
The medieval book has gone on display at the University of Aberdeen for the first time - showing some of the medical methods practiced in Scotland five centuries ago.
plant gf, italy, 15th century
The researcher behind the viral art history-inspired social account Weird Medieval Guys offers advice on how to live, laugh and love in dark times.
