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Aaru is paradise. Reed fields stretch to the endless horizon. The word "aaru" means papyrus, the life-giving plant of the Nile. In the heavenly land of Aaru, people work and play and exist much as they do in the mortal world, but they're surrounded by abundance. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The fertile Aaru is said to be the ka of the Nile Delta. The ka is the life essence, which exists in all living things. In humans, ka is part of the whole of the soul. Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus): Plant of Aaru Kohl: Eye Beauty Magic of Ancients Khet, the Body: Death Rites of Ancient Egypt Sylvia Rose Books Ancient Egyptians believe the soul is in the heart. There are eight parts to the soul, associated either with physical or spiritual body. They are: Khet or the "physical body" Sah or the "spiritual body" Ren or the "name, identity" Ba or the "personality" Ka or the "double" or "vital essence" Ib or the "heart" Shut or the "shadow" Sekhem or the "power, form" Collectively, assuming the deceased has successfully completed the transition to the Afterlife, the spirits or aspects are called Akh. Benu - Ba Heron God of Ancient Egypt Pistachio: Turpentine, Resin & Nuts Creation, Cattle & the Cosmic Cow Sylvia Rose Books When a mortal dies and is entombed, the Jackal-headed God Anubis comes to get the person. A funerary deity, Anubis lifts great monarchs up through their pyramids to the skies. Other mortals may have to find their own way. It's all part of the Underworld challenge. The first stop is Duat, the land of the Dead. Here, Anubis weighs the heart of the deceased against a feather of Ma'at (Maat), Goddess of Justice. She's depicted as a winged woman. The deceased is given 42 prayers and 42 incantations to recite. Mot - Death & the Ugarit Underworld Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books Ma'at is easily confused with another winged Egyptian female deity, Wadjet the Winged Snake Goddess. Wadjet usually appears as a hooded cobra with wings. Maat has a feather pointing up from the back of her head. If the heart weighs heavier than the feather, Thoth the Ibis-headed Scribe God notes this down. Ammit, the animal hybrid Underworld demon, gobbles up the heart with glee. The deceased is stuck in Duat for eternity. This is called "dying twice". It must be prevented. Ishara - Goddess of Death & Desire Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Tin - Essential Metal of Antiquity Sylvia Rose Books If the heart is lighter than the feather, Thoth notes this down too, and gives the tablet to the deceased as proof of the person's light-heartedness. Anubis sends the deceased off along the treacherous path to the Afterlife. Qualifying souls undergo a long journey and face many perils before finally reaching the gates of Aaru. There, the person must pass twenty-one goddess gates, each guarded by a god entity. See also: Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Sylvia Rose Books The exact number of gates varies. Descriptions include benevolent or hostile deities and ferocious evil demons. The guardians are: 1. Goddess Gate: Mistress of Trembling God: Dreadful 2. Goddess Gate: Mistress of the Sky God: Born of the Hindquarters 3. Goddess Gate: Mistress of the Altar God: Cleanser 4. Goddess Gate: Powerful of Knives God: Long-Horned Bull See also: Ullikummi - Rock Monster of Legend Book of the Heavenly Cow - Myths of Egypt Warrior Portal Gods Lugal-irra & Meslamta-ea Sylvia Rose Books 5. Goddess Gate: Fiery One God: Killer of Opponents 6. Goddess Gate: Mistress of Darkness God: Destroyer 7. Goddess Gate: Veiler of the Weary One (Osiris) God: Ikenti 8. Goddess Gate: Lighter of the Flames - Extinguisher of Heat God: Protector of His Body 9. Goddess Gate: Foremost God: Fowler 10. Goddess Gate: Piercing of Voice or High of Double Doors God: Great Embracer See also: Mušḫuššu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk Thapsos - Trade Center & Necropolis Demons - Evil Udug of Mesopotamia Sylvia Rose Books 11. Goddess Gate: Ceaseless in Knifing - Scorcher of Rebels God: Cook of His Braziers 12. Goddess Gate: Invoked by Her Two Lands (Upper & Lower Egypt) God: Cat 13. Goddess Gate: She Above Whom Osiris Stretches His Arms God: Destroyer of the Robber 14. Goddess Gate: Mistress of Anger - Dancing on Blood God: Screecher 15. Goddess Gate: Great of Valor God: Vigilant of Face 16. Goddess Gate: Dread God: Clever in Bowing See also: Apep - Primal Chaos God of Egypt Asherah: Goddess of Childbirth & Fertility Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Sylvia Rose Books 17. Goddess Gate: Great on the Horizon God: Spirit 18. Goddess Gate: Lover of Heat God: Anointed 19. Goddess Gate: She Who Foretells Mornings Throughout Her Lifespan - Possessor of the writings of Thoth God: nameless 20. Goddess Gate: Dweller Within the Cavern of Her Lord God: nameless 21. Goddess Gate: Sharpener of Flint to Speak For Her God: Giraffe - Memy If the soul is able to pass through these gates, a boat awaits to row the lucky deceased across the water to the Field of Reeds. Aaru is in the east, where the Sun rises, symbolic of rebirth and beginnings. See also: Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Lapis Lazuli: Vibrant Blue Gem of Ancients Sphinx - Mythical Monster of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books The beautiful land comprises boundless fields of reeds, like those of the Nile Delta. Crops flourish and the oxen are happy to plow. For hunting and farming it's ideal. The prosperity of Aaru allows the dead to live for all eternity. An island of reeds is one of the dwelling places of Osiris, God of the Dead. For the final event, the soul is presented to the God and welcomed into the Afterlife. After that, the person can live as desired, for the land has endless bounty. See also: Rhytons - Animal Vessels of the Ancients Amethyst - Divine Purple Quartz Gemstone Asray: Ugaritic Underworld Goddess Sylvia Rose Books Many of the Gods also live in Aaru. The worthy souls eat and drink and interact with them, which in the mortal world gives them the same status as Gods, with equivalent veneration. See also: Lotan - Chaos Sea Dragon of Ugarit Apis - Sacred Fertility Bull of Egypt Ereshkigal & the Mesopotamian Underworld Back to Top

Myth and mystery surround the natural green cube of nephrite found at Hattusa. A Bronze Age capital of the Hatti and Hittite Empires, Hattusa flourishes in central ancient Anatolia, or today's Turkey. Read: Cult of the Fire God - New 2024 A type of jade, before the 18th century BCE nephrite is primarily used in the far East and trade along the coast. It's one of the two types of true jade, the other being jadeite. Both have spiritual significance. See also: Nabarbi - Rustic Goddess of Pastures Gold - Precious Metal of the Sun Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Jade is prized for jewelry, ornament, special tools, ceremonies and medicine throughout the ages. Jade-handled daggers for ritual use are found in south Asia. The First Emperor of China died painfully from a mixture of mercury (quicksilver) and powdered jade, a concoction he thought to be the Elixir of Life. In the East jade is seen to have qualities of the human soul in its soft translucent glow. With gold it represents the essence of heaven. See also: Hurrians: Bronze Age Warrior Kingdom Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle A metamorphic rock, jade forms under intense heat and pressure over millions of years. Through mining some ancient sites have exhausted their jade supply. About twenty major deposits are known today. Jade can occur in various shades including dark and light green, white, cream, pink, red, yellow, black and brown. Since the 1980's, Turkey has produced a purple shade of mixed jadeite and other rocks. The Green Stone of Hattusa The Hattusa Green Stone is considered to be locally mined. Both nephrite jade and serpentine, another green metamorphic rock, occur in the area. The two are often found together. Roughly cubic, the Green Stone is polished smooth on top by countless sleeves and behinds, either in ancient times or modern. The mystery of the nephrite block attracts as many visitors as the temple complex itself. See also: Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Ullikummi - Rock Monster of Legend Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books No one knows what the Green Stone of Hattusa is meant for beyond a probable ceremonial purpose. It might be a stand for a statue or vessel. It's the only of its kind found in the enormous 35-temple complex of ruins. Read: Cult of the Fire God - New 2024 Local people call it a wishing stone. Professor Andreas Schachner, director of archaeology at the site of Hattusa, says he believes the stone to be used by the Hittites and all civilizations afterward. Perhaps it houses a divine spirit. Jade is often associated with healing, divinity and revitalization. See also: Benu - Ba Heron God of Ancient Egypt The Igigi - Why Humans are Created Goddess Nisaba - First Lady of Writing Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Hittite Empire comes to an end in 1180 BCE, the period known as the Bronze Age collapse. After that, the Greek Dark Ages take hold. New empires begin to rise from the ruins of the fallen. Today in history, the nephrite chunk is over 4000 years old. It might be a stone of memory, for it carries many. In spirituality, jade is a gem of nobility and wealth, associated with the element Water. It's formed in nature as pressure literally squeezes water out of stone. See also: Bashmu (Bašmu): Voracious Serpent Dragon Ḫulbazizi - Ancient Exorcism Ritual Myrrh - Mystique, Death & Divinity Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Archaeologists believe the Green Stone was moved from another location to the Hattusa complex. The stone was discovered in a small chamber connected to the temple of the Hittite Weather God Tarḫunna and the Sun Goddess of Arinna. The reason the stone is brought to the temple and what it was used for there has yet to be discovered. The Hittites leave no clue, nor do those who come after. See also: Land of Punt: Pre-Bronze Age Kingdom of Riches Aya - Goddess of Dawn, Mesopotamia Ullikummi - Rock Monster of Legend Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Green Stone remains clouded in mystery. The nephrite jade rock, the ancient remains of Hattusa and environs are a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1986. See also: Cult of the Fire God - New 2024 Hatti - Cultures of Ancient Anatolia The Way to Aaru - Egyptian Paradise Back to Top

Sweet oranges in Europe and northern regions are a special treat at Christmas, going back to St Nicolas of Myra (270 - 343) in today's Turkey. Traditional Yule fruits include cranberries dried apples and plums, or prunes, for food and seasonal decor. See also: Elderberry Tree: Germanic Nature Lore Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia Edelweiss: Alpine Flower of True Love Sylvia Rose Books Oranges have special meaning at Christmas due to a bishop known for his generosity. St Nicolas is regarded as the inspiration for Father Christmas, St. Nicholas of the Christmas season, and Santa Claus. In one of his most famous gestures he saves three sisters from prostitution by giving them a gift of gold. He distributes oranges at Christmas, which becomes a seasonal tradition. In northern Europe and colder climates oranges are a gift of sunshine. German Nature Folklore - Fruit Trees Hags in German Myth & Folklore Winter Tales - 4 Novellas Sylvia Rose Books Oranges are typically among the fruit brought by St Nicholas and his pagan companions on their annual household visits Dec 5 and 6. Yuletide feasting and revelry always incorporate fruit. Oranges are a prime ingredient in mulled wine, a popular holiday drink. Oranges are sometimes used in gingerbread or gingerbread loaf, an essential treat for the season. The German Christmas treat Stollen, fruitcake bread coated in icing sugar, is originally from Dresden. The tradition goes back to the Middle Ages. Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Gingerbread Houses: German Folklore German Traditions - Candy Canes Sylvia Rose Books The first Christmas is celebrated in Rome, Dec 25 336 CE. The first Yule is a Germanic pagan festival dating back to the 5th century CE. It originates as an unregulated harvest festival. The revelry of Yule goes until just before Solstice, then the Solstice is celebrated. Yule is associated with Christmas since c. 11th century. Today Yule begins on the Solstice. In pagan German tradition the feast of ancient German goddess Frau Holle or Hulda starts Dec 25 and ends Jan 5-6. In Babylonian lore, these are the 12 Days of Zagmuk. The Many Faces of Frau Holle 12 Days of Zagmuk: Chaos & the King Tannenbaum - About the Yule Fir Tree Sylvia Rose Books In northern Europe, seasonal decorations include ornaments made of dried fruit. Fruit trees such as apple, plum and cherry are important to the economy of homesteading farmers and orchard growers. Dried and preserved fruit lasts through the cold dark winters. In Nuremburg, prune people are popular ornaments. In German folklore several Harvest Spirits come to fertilize the fruit trees at Christmas. They are the Grain Bull or Harvest Bull (Kornstier), the Buck and Nanny Goats and the Kornesel or Grain Donkey. See also: Goats in German Myth: Erntebock & Habergeiß German Myth - Harvest Spirits Oder River: Nature & Early People Sylvia Rose Books One of the most popular Yule fruits is cranberry. Sweet and tart, the berries are often served with roast turkey in America. Ham is traditional in Germanic Europe. Cranberry decorations make up some of the reds of the season. Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe Horses, Alps & Amazons: the Caucasus 19th Century: Home Gym, Bicycles, Antiseptic Back to Top

The Oder (Odra) River originates in Czechia and flows through several countries before reaching the Baltic Sea. Part of the Amber Roads, the river is a major center of transport and trade in the ancient world. Progressive and mysterious, the Oder has many tales to tell. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure German Myth - Father Rhine River God Neolithic Europe - Danube Valley Culture Black Sea: Stone Age & Early History Sylvia Rose Books A river in Central Europe, the Oder is 840 km (522 mi) long. Flowing from south to north, its source is in Czechia, at the highest peak of the Oder Mountains, c. 634 m (2080 ft) above sea level. From there the river travels into the Moravian Gate depression. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure It forms the alluvial meadows, wetlands and ponds of the Proodři protected area. This region is among the few unchanged by modern engineering. Streams flow into the river from surrounding slopes. Mt Nemrut Volcano: Nature & Lore Horses, Alps & Amazons: the Caucasus Is Cherry Laurel Poisonous? Sylvia Rose Books Mushrooms are a favorite forage item and early people find edible fungi Polyporus umbellatus, or umbrella polypore, growing in clusters on roots of old beech or oak trees. In folk medicine, Ganoderma lucidum, a shiny red fungus, is used to treat various ailments. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Also called reishi, the bitter-tasting mushroom is thought to have benefits to the immune system. In natural medicine reishi mushroom is used for cold sores as well as serious conditions such as diabetes and cancer, though it's not clinically proven to work. Herbology & Lore: Death Cap Mushrooms Folk Magic: Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) Honey Bees (Apidae): Nature & Myth Sylvia Rose Books Wetland regions of the Oder are home to aquatic plants like rare floating ferns, water violet and carnivorous bladderwort. Sedge and reed grow freely. In Neolithic times, these are used to weave wattle for homes, daubed with mud and dung to create walls. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Reeds also form walls of early homes when bundled and shaped. They create the first rafts and boats. For ancient people reeds have many practical uses. All parts are edible including the sugary roots. Reeds woven into baskets, mats and other items are popular in trade. Papyrus (C. papyrus): Sacred Reeds of Aaru Ancient Marsh Muse - Rough Horsetail Heimchen - House Crickets of Folklore Sylvia Rose Books With three other rivers, Opava, Ostravice and Lučina, the Oder forms a confluence at the medieval town of Ostrava, today a populous city c. 270 km (170 mi) east of Prague. During the 19th century it was an important center of industrial power. READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Many former mineworks develop into natural sanctuaries for wildlife and flora. These protected areas give a glimpse into the habitats ancient traders and travelers encounter. The Oder is a major route of the Amber Roads trade network. Steam & Coal in Victorian Germany Victorian Health: Sea Water Hydrotherapy 19th Century: Home Gym, Bicycles, Antiseptic Sylvia Rose Books The Oder River is home to fish such as golden loach and others found only in the Oder. A mass fatality in 2022 involving fish, birds, mammals and others. The cause is found to be an algal bloom. Algal blooms happen when various elements come together at the same time. READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Light exposure, low water levels, influx of nutrients and human factors can result in rapid growth of algae, which coat the water and suck up nutrients and oxygen. Algal bloom can cause drastic water change such as salt increase, a death sentence to freshwater residents. Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Sailing - Bronze Age Sails & Sailcloth Ornithomancy - Prophecy by the Birds Sylvia Rose Books Normally fish like carp, roach, chub, bream barbel inhabit the river. It's a migratory route for sturgeon and waterfowl such as greylag geese. Marshes and riversides are home to grey heron, great cormorant, red-necked grebe, red-billed grebe, bittern and marsh harrier. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Mammals along the waterways include European or Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber) and European or Eurasian otter (Lupra lupra). Sixteen bat species are in the southern protected zones, making up 76% of bats in the Czech Republic. Several migrate along the river valley. Great Cormorant: Wild Birds & Mythic Beasts Sacred Cave Trapeza (Kronion), Crete Red Ocher (Ochre) Ancient Pigments Sylvia Rose Books From its source, the Oder river travels 742 km (461 mi) through western Poland. It then forms a natural border 187 km (116 mi) long between Poland and Germany. The river ultimately flows into the Szczecin Lagoon north of Szczecin. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures There, it forms into three branches, the Dziwna, Świna and Peene, to empty into the Bay of Pomerania at the Baltic Sea. The region is famous for the Pomeranian dog, a miniature type of German Spitz. House Spirits of Germanic Mythology German Harvest Spirits: Roggenhund (Rye Dog) Werewolf & Werewolves of Germany Sylvia Rose Books Pomeranians are another trend set by Queen Victoria (r. 1837-1901). She set many. Earliest Pomeranians are white, black or brown. Victoria's Pomeranian is red, and especially small, making little red Pomeranians all the rage of 19th century European society. The Oder is navigable over a large part of its total length, as far upstream as the town of Koźle, where the river connects to the Gliwice Canal. Today, canals allow larger boat traffic into the industrial centers. Hünenburg: Bronze Age European Trade Hub Gold-of-Pleasure: Bronze Age Crops Death Cruise - Vacation Gone Bad Sylvia Rose Books Further downstream the Oder river flows past the town of Eisenhüttenstadt in Brandenburg, Germany, at the border of Germany and Poland. A canal connects the Oder to the Spree River running through Berlin. At Hohensaaten, Bad Freienwalde, the Oder-Havel Canal reconnects to Berlin routes. the Oder passes through the maritime port of Szczecin, Poland. Today it's Poland's 7th largest city, near the German border to the west, and Baltic Sea to the north. Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Baba Yaga - Slavic Forest Witch Lora Ley Adventures - Feast of Fools Sylvia Rose Books The Oder River reaches the Baltic Sea through the Szczecin Lagoon and the river mouth at Świnoujście. When Classical Romans arrive they call the river Viadrus or Viadua, Via meaning "way" or "route". Even before the Romans, in the region of Silesia, the river and marshes said to be inhabited by water demons, particularly a female embodiment of chaos who blinds men with a mirror. Baltic Amber - Gold of the North Honey Mead: Most Ancient Ambrosia Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Sylvia Rose Books As a branch of the Amber Roads from the Baltic to the Roman Empire, the Oder is vital to Romans. Known as the gold of the north, amber is found as far away as the Iberian peninsula by the late Chalcolithic (4th millennium BCE). Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Habitation at the Oder River and Baltic coast goes back to Neolithic and Bronze Age societies of central and northern Europe. They include the Corded Ware culture of c. 3000 BCE, the Urnfield culture, Únětice, Tumulus and the people of the Nordic Bronze Age. Before the Vikings: Nordic Bronze Age Tumulus Culture - Nordic Bronze Age Unetice Culture - Before the Vikings Sylvia Rose Books The poppy is used since ancient times for its edible seeds and medicinal benefits. Certain varieties are used to make legal and illegal drugs. Cultivation of opium poppies is a growing concern throughout the world. Ephedra - Oldest Medical Stimulant Herb Great Bear - Nature, Spirituality & Lore Lake Van: Fate of a Primeval Salt Lake Back to Top

Reishi or lingzhi (Ganoderma sichuanense, G. lingzhi) is a shining red fungal fruiting body in shades from orange to deep maroon. The mushroom is hard and bitter. In the East it's used medicinally. The mushroom is also connected to the mystic arts. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Oder River: Nature & Early People Is Cherry Laurel Poisonous? Ninkasi: Beer Goddess Mesopotamia Sylvia Rose Books Reishi and lingzhi are the same species of mushroom. Reishi is Japanese and linzhi Chinese, meaning "miraculous fungus" or "divine mushroom". Some go as far as to purvey the fabulous fungus as a mushroom of immortality. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Ganoderma species sold as reishi or lingzhi include: Ganoderma sichuanense, also called Ganoderma lingzhi Ganoderma lucidum Ganoderma sinense - black reishi or zizhi. Honey Mead: Most Ancient Ambrosia Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia Folk Magic: Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) Sylvia Rose Books Ganoderma sichuanense is the most common species in Chinese herb shops today. The fungus is widely cultivated in China and shipped to other countries. About 7–10 other Ganoderma species are also sold in some shops. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures They have different Chinese and Latin names, and are attributed diverse effects and functions. The differences are based on concentrations of triterpenes such as ganoderic acid, the active element, and its derivatives, which can vary among species. Sacred Cave Trapeza (Kronion), Crete Honey Bees (Apidae): Nature & Myth Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Ganoderic acid A (GAA), an active triterpenoid from Ganoderma lucidum, has been reported to show medical benefits including: antinociceptive (stimulates body's natural defenses ie stronger immune function) antioxidative (reduces oxidative stress causing cell damage) hepatoprotective (strengthens and protects the liver) anticancer activity relief of inflammation Medical effects have been tested on rats. Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Gargari: Men of the Amazon Warriors Sylvia Rose Books Common side effects may include dizziness dry mouth itching nausea stomach upset; boating; gas diarrhea rash Compounds in the mushroom can cause harmful reactions with prescription medications such as drugs for diabetes and abnormal blood pressure. Whether in powder, extract or fresh form, it shouldn't be mixed with alcohol. Chamomile - Herbology & Folklore Edelweiss: Alpine Flower of True Love Rhinestones: Treasures of the Rhine Sylvia Rose Books Ganoderma sichuanense (G. lingzhi) is found at roots of hardwood deciduous trees such as oak, beech and maple. A reddish brown, banded, fan-shaped cap with stem, it can have a glossy sheen or varnished look. READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Fresh lingzhi is soft, porous, and flat. It has no gills on its underside. It releases spores through fine pores. Der Türst: Dread Huntsman & the Wild Hunt Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Tjeker Sea People in 12th Century BCE Sylvia Rose Books Ganoderma lingzhi is found growing as a parasite or saprotroph on a variety of trees. In North America, Ganoderma curtisii and G. ravenelii are the closest relatives of the lingzhi mushroom. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Wild reishi is rare because it occurs on only two or three trees in ten thousand. Native to East Asia it's successfully raised elsewhere. Mycophiles can cultivate the fungus on hardwood logs, sawdust, or woodchips. Rise of Pan: Fertility Goat God Péh₂usōn Syrian Brown Bear - Bronze Age Wild Easter Bunny, Prussian Blue & Penguins Sylvia Rose Books According to Forbes Magazine, the reishi / lingzhi trade industry today has a global market of more than $2.16 billion or approximately 2% of the worldwide dietary supplement sales. Experts confirm G. sichuanense (G. lingzhi) is often sold as G. lucidum. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Problems in translation may arise due to the name lucidum, which suggests mental lucidity. It's Latin for shiny or brilliant, referring to the sheen on the shroom. G. lucidum has no particular effects on mental acuity but may have other health benefits. Grayanotoxins: the Madness of Honey Herbology & Lore: Death Cap Mushrooms Castle Frankenstein - Legend & Lore Sylvia Rose Books For centuries Taoist temples are called "the abode of mushrooms". According to their teachings, use of woody mushrooms zhi (Ganoderma) or lingzhi "spirits mushroom" can be revealing. They make a concentrated elixir with hallucinogenic properties. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Followers can see spirits or become spirits themselves. They receive the magical energy of the immortals xians, located on the fields of grace, in the heavenly mushroom fields (zhi tian). These mushrooms are though to be G. lingzhi (Ganoderma sichuanense). See also: Jade - Jadeite, Nephrite & Jade Roads Black Hellebore: Toxins, Health & Lore Screaming Swiss Spirit: Pfaffenkellnerin READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries According to the Huainanzi, a blend of Chinese folk religion, Buddhist, Taoist and other beliefs, the lingzhi mushroom personifies nobility and divinity. Shamans or spirit workers brew this magical shroom into a psychedelic drink. Plant Lore: Stinking Nightshade, Henbane White Ladies in German Mythology Mahaleb Cherry: Spice, Nature & Myth Back to Top

The Sacred Cave Trapeza (Kronion) is a Neolithic and Bronze Age ritual site on the island of Crete in Greece. During the Minoan era it's one of the most important caves. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Corycian Caves, Bee Nymphs & Greek Gods Ullikummi - Rock Monster of Legend Ninkasi: Beer Goddess Mesopotamia Sylvia Rose Books Limestone caves are also called solution or karst caves. Over millions of years, exposure to acidic groundwater as in underground rivers dissolves the limestone, causing hollows and tunnels. Thousands of natural caves from holes to labyrinths exist in the Cretan landscape. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure A sedimentary rock, limestone is made of calcium carbonate (calcite) or a dual carbonate of calcium and magnesium, dolomite. It's composed of tiny fossils, shell fragments and other organic debris. See also: Terrazzo Floors & Neolithic Masons Megaliths & Building at Gobekli Tepe Is Cherry Laurel Poisonous? Sylvia Rose Books Limestone caves are the most common and potentially awe-inspiring of caverns. From a small hole in a hill an ancient world opens up. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Porous limestone is the perfect rock for making caves. Packed with minerals it dissolves in rainwater or groundwater to drip down through cracks and from ceilings to form glistening columns, stalactites, stalagmites and organic sculpture. See also: Neolithic Skull Cults & Ritual Skulls Red Ocher (Ochre) Ancient Pigments Uluburun - Bronze Age Shipwreck Sylvia Rose Books The cave-making process can form towering pillars and, to the animistic eye, shapes resembling animals, monsters or spirits. For early people caves are the abode of gods both dark and light. Caves link to the subterranean world, death and the unknown. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Constant seismic activity caused by shifting tectonic plates heats up rock and water far below. Steam releases through vents or caverns, like the breath of a dragon. Some chasms vent toxic gasses. These have been used to induce visions or prophecy, as at Deliphi. See also: Dragons: German Harvest & Nature Spirits Mushussu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk Seduction of Hedammu, Father of Snakes Sylvia Rose Books In the early Bronze Age Kronion is a well-used cave site on Crete. There are several, including in the so-called Gorge of the Dead, a site of numerous cave burials. Today, off the beaten track and easily missed, it's a footnote. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries In the Neolithic era the Trapeza cave is a center of cult worship and religious sanctuary. Later, people move in for a longer stay. Artifacts of pre-Minoan origin are uncovered. Excavations show Minoans use the cave as a burial site. See also: Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Mugwort (Wormwood) Herbal Lore Hematite: Magnetic Iron Oxide Red Sylvia Rose Books Throughout history, Cretans have used caves as shelters, places of refuge, tombs for the dead and shrines to deities. Many caves have seen more than one of these uses. Though Trapeza is a modestly sized site, it's a center of importance for hundreds of years. See also: Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Red Madder: Organic Ancient Colors Garnets - Gemstones of Blood and Life Back to Top

Fruit trees are integral to Germanic culture and lore. In times when most farms and rural homesteads depend on the land for nourishment, fruit trees and bushes bless the harvest with abundant apples, cherries, plums and berries. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Apples: Nature, Spirituality & Folklore House Spirits of Germanic Mythology Fairy Rings, Moon & Nature Magic Sylvia Rose Books Fruit in German Tradition An orchard or even a few fruit trees is a solid investment in care for many years' worth of produce. Proper pruning at the end of the year encourages healthy growth. On average the trees take 4 - 5 years to start producing fruit. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Before electricity, fruit preserves, dried fruits and berries keep the family healthy over the long cold winter. Fruit is especially celebrated in the dark sinister days before winter solstice, when evil spirits and the Undead roam the land. See also: Honey Mead: Most Ancient Ambrosia Herbology & Lore: Caraway German Myth & Folklore: Elves Sylvia Rose Books The fruit trees of Germania produce apples, elderberry, cherries, plums and pears. The national fruit of Germany, apples make the classic pastry Apfel Strudel (apple strudel) Plum dumplings are part of the traditional German dinner menu. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Cherries are more abundant in the south. Summer cherries give sweet refreshment on a hot August day. They produce the famous cherry liqueur (Kirschwasser) for mouth-watering Black Forest Cake. German bakers are masters of decadent desserts. See also: Gingerbread Houses: German Folklore Nature Spirits of German Mythology Great Women Artists - Käthe Kollwitz Sylvia Rose Books Berry-bearing bushes on the family farm include red currant, black currant, gooseberry and raspberry. Fruit is used in baking, cooking, making wine, cider or mead, natural health and folk medicine. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Due to ancient drainage techniques, the Altes Land around Hamburg and the River Elbe yields the most fruit trees. 90% are apple with the other 10% being cherry, plum, pear trees and berry bushes. See also: Elderberry Tree: Germanic Nature Lore Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia Edelweiss: Alpine Flower of True Love Sylvia Rose Books Folklore of Fruit Trees Agrarian lifestyles, fruit and crop cultivation develop in the Neolithic Age from c. 9000 BCE. Folklore of fruit trees includes harvest traditions, tree magic and nature spirits. People of early Germania know the mystic and practical aspects of fruit trees. READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Trees are often inhabited by tree spirits. Germanic tree spirits can be ethereal like the dryads of Greek myth, or seem to be regular people. Others manifest as hybrids of human and tree. Temperament varies from friendly to indifferent to hostile. See also: Brunhilde: Tragic Germanic Warrior Queen Queen Eleanor & the Calamitous Crusade Eschenfrau: Wicked Ash Tree Woman Sylvia Rose Books Besides a resident spirit the tree can host a vast ecosystem of birds, insects, amphibians such as toads and salamanders, lichen, mushrooms, microcosms and Faerie folk. Sometimes moss people move in and establish a habitat. They're harmless to the tree and rarely seen, but could drop crabapples on your head. Moss people especially have a tendency toward impish mischief or crotchety annoyance. They love the tree because it's their home, and help the spirit tend and nurture it. See also: German Myth - Werewolves Wild Women and Winter Tales German Traditions - the Linden Tree Sylvia Rose Books Edible morel mushrooms grow in fruit orchards. Fairy ring mushrooms have a symbiotic relationship with tree roots. They form fairy rings, fairy circles, elf rings or witch rings around one or more trees. As the mushrooms age and die they they infuse the earth with nutrients. Some fairy ring mushrooms are edible. Others are poisonous to people and pets. Beware of unknown fungi, toxic false morels, death caps and destroying angels. See also: Herbology & Lore: Death Cap Mushrooms Destroying Angel: Nature's Deadly Poison Goats in German Myth: Erntebock & Habergeiß Sylvia Rose Books In folklore, tree spirits and mystic residents care deeply for their trees. Particular magic of a spirit nourishes the tree, attracts birds to eat pests, encourages growth of helpful flora and fungi, and facilitates flow of nutrients. A person leaning on the trunk can feel the energy. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The spirit bonds with the fruit tree. If the tree is burned or cut down the spirit has to find another tree or transcend to an alternate state. Wood made into jewelry, ornaments, bowls contains spirit energy. In cuisine, fruit wood smoke adds succulence to food. See also: German Myth - Harvest Spirits Black Hellebore: Toxins, Health & Lore Nibelung - Of Worms & Heroes Sylvia Rose Books Yule Fertility Animals The magic of the fruit trees comes together with the health and well-being of the tree. In German myth there are several harvest spirits who come to fertilize the fruit trees at Yule or Winter Solstice, or Christmas Day. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures The spirits who fertilize fruit trees take the shape of domestic animals. They include the Harvest Bull or Ox, the Harvest Cow, the Buck and Nanny Goats and the Kornesel or Grain Donkey. Only herbivores fertilize the trees. Their deposits are rich in tree-friendly nutrients. See also: Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Shumugan - God of Donkeys & Mules Jimson Weed, Witches & Zombies Sylvia Rose Books Nothing's thrown away on the farm. Farmers save all the manure they can over summer to enrich their fields. The natural compounds in the excrement of plant-eating animals returns to Earth and nourishes new plants, ensuring a healthy crop and branches loaded with fruit. READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries As Winter Solstice signals return of the sun, trees feel a difference in days and prepare for spring. Fertilization around the Solstice gives them vigor. As the Earth awakens, buried seeds crack open and tiny roots seek food. Herbivore poop is ambrosia to them. See also: German Myth - Harvest Spirits 2 German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Bizilla - Shining Love Goddess Sukkal Back to Top

Found as far back as the early Proto-Indo-European language c 4500 - 2500 BCE, the name Potnia has been interpreted as a Goddess, a group of goddesses or an honorary title. In Arcadia and Mycenaean Greece she's a combination of all three. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Arcadia - Greek Lands of Ancient Gods Despoina - Goddess of the Mysteries Honey Mead: Most Ancient Ambrosia Sylvia Rose Books An ancient Greek word, Potnia means Mistress or Lady. It comes to Classical Greece from the earlier Minoans and Mycenaeans, where it's applied to several Goddesses. In Minoan culture Potnia is associated with bees and beekeeping. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure She's called "Pure Mother Bee", a name also ascribed to Demeter. The term Potnia Theron, Mistress of Animals, is used to describe Artemis the Huntress, who's equated with an early Anatolian goddess associated with bees. See also: Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Ancient Greece - the Mycenean Invasion Lahar: Flock & Sheep Pastoral Goddess Sylvia Rose Books Potnia and Desponia share many traits. Desponia is revered in Arcadia, and Potnia comes to local myth from Minoa. Desponia also means Lady or Mistress. Connected to the Eleusinian Mysteries, Potnia and Desponia become cognate with Kore, then Persephone. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Potnia, the Lady, appears in Minoan and Mycenaean culture in the Bronze Age as a deity of nature, cycles, birth and deat. Some scholars suggest she's a Minoan mother goddess. The earliest reference to the term Potnia is from Knossos, Crete, c. 1450-1300 BCE. See also: Cassiterite - Tin Source of Ancients Erinyes - Vengeful Women of Ancient Greece Mythology: Gods of Mycenean Greece Sylvia Rose Books Potnia has a shrine in Pakijanes near Pylos at the southwest of the Peloponnese peninsula. Her male companion is the god figure Anax (Wanax), whose name means tribal chief, king or military leader. Read: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Potnia and Anax are honored during the festivals of the Eleusinian Mysteries with the words "Mighty Potnia has a strong son." The Lesser Mysteries happen in spring, a time to welcome new initiates into the cult. See also: Honey Bees (Apis): Nature & Myth Stymphalian Birds & Greek Heroics Cyclades Islands: Paradise of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books The Greater Mysteries, in which novices are promoted to serve in the inner sanctum of the Divinities, occurs September / October. Every fourth year an especially elaborate festival is held to give thanks and sacrifice to Demeter, goddess of grain. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures A Minoan inscription from Crete refers to "potnia or Lady of the Labyrinth". She's a separate goddess associated with the royal family at the royal palace at Knossos. The Labyrinth is the domain of the Minotaur. References to "the potnia" appear at Lycos as well. See also: Weapons & Warfare of Bronze Age Europe 1 Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minoa Pagan Solstice Fests: Saturnalia READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries As an honorary, potnia is often combined with a name or description. Names or terms include potnia Hippeia, "Horse Goddess". At Knossos a tablet describes potnia Athana or Athena. Potnia Theron is Mistress of Animals, often given to divine huntress Artemis. In Classical Greece, the title potnia is also applied to goddesses Demeter, Athena and Persephone. An earth goddess or personification of the Earth, Gaia first appears in Homeric literature of the 8th century BCE, and receives the title potnia. See also: Caspian Tiger: Bronze Age Wild Predators Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Stone Age Botai - First Horse People Sylvia Rose Books Eventually, Potnia is equated with Despoina / Kore / Persephone of progressive Greek myth, and retires as an independent Goddess. Meanwhile, Persephone eats half a dozen pomegranate seeds in the underworld, and must stay with Hades for six months of the year. See also: Dumuzi & Geshtinanna: Reasons for Seasons Asherah: Goddess of Childbirth & Fertility Rise of Pan: Fertility Goat God Péh₂usōn Back to Top

Ephedra is a genus of shrub growing in hot arid and semi-arid regions throughout the world. As a natural health medicine plant and stimulant herb, it's known to be in use by c. 5000 BCE. Ephedra contains significant amounts of ephedrine. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Black Hellebore: Toxins, Health & Lore Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia Soap & Medicine Herb of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books Ephedra is a reedy seed-producing shrub or vine. The genus has about 75 species in Asia, India, Middle East, Egypt and other parts of Africa and arid regions of the Americas. It can grow in the Andes and Himalayas as high as 4000 m (2.5 mi) above sea level. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Ephedra is a gymnosperm, with spores in conical structures but without real flowers. The oldest known Ephedra comes from the Early Cretaceous period, c. 125 million years ago. Fossil records appear from Argentina, China, Portugal and the United States. See also: Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Mad Honey - What's the Buzz? Egyptian Blue Lotus: Visionary Beauty Sylvia Rose Books In hot and temperate climates, these sun-loving plants live on sea shores or in sandy soils with plenty of daytime light. Because Ephedra is moderately salt tolerant it grows in saline soils where most other plants would perish. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure A relative of pine, juniper, and spruce, it's also called joint-pine, joint fir, Mormon tea or Brigham tea. The Chinese term mahuang means Ephedra. High amounts of the stimulant ephedrine gives the plant genus its name. See also: Kashka - Mountain Raiders of Anatolia Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe Cress, Watercress: Natural Health of Ancients Sylvia Rose Books Ephedra produces nectar only in certain species on the full moon night in July. Female ephedra form a sweet bead of nectar on each flower cone. On that night pollinating moths and other nocturnal insects come to drink the nectar. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures The sweet sticky drop also catches wind-blown pollen, helping pollenate the plant. Otherwise the abundant pollen of Ephedra species is wind-scattered. The yellow pollen cones can resemble flowers. See also: Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Grayanotoxins: the Madness of Honey Syrian Brown Bear - Bronze Age Wild Sylvia Rose Books With stimulant properties of the active ingredient ephedrine, Ephedra extracts are sought in the production of methamphetamine. It's made clinically and illegally. READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Methamphetamines elevate mood, increase alertness, concentration and energy and promote weight loss. At high doses, meth induces psychosis, breakdown of skeletal muscle, seizures, meth mouth and bleeding in the brain. See also: Lake Van: Fate of a Primeval Salt Lake Veratrum album - Tragic Toxins Screaming Swiss Spirit: Pfaffenkellnerin Sylvia Rose Books The Vedic Rigveda mentions Soma (Sauma) as the first drink of a newborn child. The soma of Rigveda may be made with juice of Ephedra plants. In Rigveda, Soma is an evergreen plant, with a thousand stalks in yellow hues bestowing auspicious energy. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure In China it's also called Chinoso Ho-Ma, or "fire-yellow fibers of hemp", which becomes known in Sanskrit as Soma. The earliest known natural health uses of Ephedra include as an anti-fatigue drink and for mental acuity. The source of the stimulant effect is the stems. See also: Poison Hemlock: Herbology & Lore Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Links Hannahanna - Great Grandmother Goddess Sylvia Rose Books As a euphoriant and energizer its juice is consumed thrice daily. Later it's associated with immortality and longevity, or Elixir of Life. As a traditional medicine it's used to treat headaches and respiratory ailments, and as a decongestant. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Ephedra develops a strong network of rhizomes underground to keep itself anchored in dry wind storms. Rhizomes grow horizontally send new stems straight up through the soil. This plant dislikes damp earth and is often found on hills or hillsides where drainage is best. See also: Nature Spirits of German Mythology Plant Lore: Stinking Nightshade, Henbane Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Sylvia Rose Books Because of the strong root system Ephedra is important to soil stability on hills and mountain slopes. The leaves are small, scale-like and usually fall from the plant. Plants produce male cones with microspores which develop into pollen. READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Female cones produce megaspores. They're held within the cones and develop into female sex organs inside ovules. Fertilization occurs after pollination and causes formation of seeds. See also: Wandering Womb - Ancient Medicine Curse of the Evil Eye & Apotropaic Magic Edelweiss: Alpine Flower of True Love READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Small, yellow flower-like pollen cones are followed by round, red seed-bearing fruits. E. gerardiana is often taken as a stimulant. In Ayurvedic medicine tea of the plant is used to treat colds, coughs, bronchitis, asthma, and arthritis. See also: Heimchen - House Crickets of Folklore Folk Magic: Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) German Folklore - Irrwurz or Mad Root Back to Top

Grayanotoxins are neurotoxins. They're active ingredients in mad honey, produced by bees harvesting pollen and nectar of plants carrying the toxins. Grayanotoxins are found in plants of Rhododendron and others in the family Ericacea, such as doghobble. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Mad Honey - What's the Buzz? Black Hellebore: Toxins, Health & Lore Screaming Swiss Spirit: Pfaffenkellnerin READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Grayanotoxin is also known as andromedotoxin acetylandromedol rhodotoxin asebotoxin Effects of mad honey poisoning are described in records by Xenophon, Aristotle, Strabo, Pliny the Elder and Columella. They all report illness after from eating "maddening" honey from the pollen or nectar of Rhododendron luteum and Rhododendron ponticum. Verdigris: Volatile Blue Green Pigment Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Ḫulbazizi - Ancient Exorcism Ritual Sylvia Rose Books Consumption of the plants or secondary products, including tea, herbal remedies, cigarettes, honey or honeycomb, can cause grayanotoxin poisoning. Overconsumption feels like the world's worst hangover, not surprising as alcohol is also a poison. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Mad honey is most frequently produced in parts of Turkey and Nepal as a recreational drug, traditional medicine and source of local income. Turkish mad honey has a golden to amber red hue. The price for honey made by grayanotoxin-ingesting bees is steep. See also: Pentagram: Drudenfuß, Five Point Star Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia 19th Century: Home Gym, Bicycles, Antiseptic Sylvia Rose Books In Nepal the giant honeybees (Apis dorsata) who make the honey nest in the highest cliffs. Honey hunters smoke the bees out and climb up on rope ladders to retrieve the treasure. See stunning photos of the honey hunt HERE. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Other plants with grayanotoxins are Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel) and Pieris japonica or Japanese Andromeda. Ingestion is dangerous to deadly for animals such as humans, dogs, horses, cats and cows. The acrid taste of the plant usually repulses consumers. See also: Veratrum album - Tragic Toxins Noisy Spirits of German Mythology Witches & Witchcraft: Ancient World Sylvia Rose Books Grayanotoxins occur in plants of the family Ericaceae, especially members of genera Agarista, Craibiodendron, Kalmia, Leucothoe, Lyonia, Pieris and Rhododendron. There are thousands of species. While many carry grayanotoxins, just a few have dangerous levels. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Species with high concentrations of grayanotoxins, such as Rhododendruon ponticum and R. luteum, are most common in regions of Turkey bordering the Black Sea, such as Sinope. These are the primary Turkish sources of mad honey nectar. See also: Sinope: Poison, Honey, Greeks & Clay Great Bear - Nature, Spirituality & Lore Mušḫuššu - Snake Dragon Animal of Marduk READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Rhododendron grayanotoxins are found throughout the plant including roots, stems, leaves, flowers, pollen and nectar. Grayanotoxin poisoning has mild to severe symptoms such as: nausea vomiting salivation sweating dizziness weakness blurred vision low blood pressure irregular or slow heartbeat paralysis death Honey produced from the nectar of Andromeda polifolia has levels of grayanotoxins high enough to cause full body paralysis and suffocation due to diaphragm paralysis. See also: Sylvia Rose Books On that happy note, grayanotoxin and mad honey poisoning are not common. Most poisonings happen to men who overuse mad honey as a "sweet Viagra". Next common is overconsumption as a recreational drug. A person might also have an unknown sensitivity. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Honey obtained from spoonwood (mountain laurel) and sheep-laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) can cause severe symptoms. Honey from Lestrimelitta limao or robber bees may induce paralysis. Grayanotoxin testing is inconclusive due to rarity and robber lifestyle of the bees. See also: Hannahanna - Great Grandmother Goddess Night Raven (Nachtkrapp) Germania Yarrow (Achillea) Magic & Medicine Sylvia Rose Books In a 1912 report of grayanotoxin I, then called andromedotoxin, German phytochemist Otto Tunmann isolates it from tannin and glucose of an Ericaceae plant. Twenty years later, S. W. Hardikar at University of Edinburgh describes rhododendron poisoning by this compound. See also: Pistachio: Turpentine, Resin & Nuts Hotel of Horror - The Lady Detective Wandering Womb - Ancient Medicine Back to Top

Mad honey comes from a group of plant-produced neurotoxins named after Leucothoe grayana, a plant native to Japan. Grayanotoxins can cause hallucinations and severe health effects. They're found in garden plants. Leaves, roots, flowers, pollen and nectar are toxic. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure See also: Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia Black Hellebore: Toxins, Health & Lore Ancient Grains: Wheat, Barley, Millet, Rice Sylvia Rose Books Common plants containing grayanotoxin are the rhododendrons, including azalea. The first grayanotoxins were found in the Japanese plant Leucothoe grayana, also called doghobble. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure Mad honey is made from plants in the Ericaceae family. It has a somewhat bitter taste and may have a reddish color tones. Several types of rhododendron, including Rhododendron luteum and R. ponticum, contain grayanotoxin. See also: Mugwort (Wormwood) Herbal Lore Einkorn Wheat - First Domestic Crops Cyprus: Prehistoric Humans & Pygmy Hippos Sylvia Rose Books Rhododendron is the national flower of Nepal. It's also the state flower of Washington and West Virginia in the US, the state flower of Nagaland and Himachal Pradesh in India, provincial flower of Jiangxi in China and the state tree of Sikkim and Uttarakhand in India. Most species have brightly colored flowers which bloom from late winter through to early summer, or throughout the local growing season. Azaleas (below) make up two subgenera of Rhododendron. See also: Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Night Raven (Nachtkrapp) Germania Ib the Heart: Book of the Dead Egypt Sylvia Rose Books Depending on species plants can be deciduous or evergreen. In regions such as Turkey and Nepal they're used for folk medicine and recreational purposes. In Nepal the honey hunt is a regular event. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventure Grayanotoxins are produced by the rhododendrons and other plants in the family Ericaceae. Honey from of the plants also contains grayanotoxins and is known colloquially as mad honey. See also: Figs - Food of the Ancient World Yarrow (Achillea) Magic & Medicine Hematite: Magnetic Iron Oxide Red Sylvia Rose Books Mad honey intoxication appears in records from Xenophon, Aristotle, Strabo, Pliny the Elder and Columella. All report sickness from eating "maddening" honey made from pollen or nectar of Rhododendron luteum and R. ponticum. Medicinal benefits of mad honey include: lower blood pressure energy treatment of impotence or related ailments Mad honey is among the most expensive honey in the world. It sells for $60 to $80 US dollars a pound on black markets of some Asian countries. See also: Lucifer, Venus & Anti-Gods of Mythology Copper: Ruddy Metal of Myth & Magic Victorian Crime - Murder in the Cards Sylvia Rose Books The leaves, nectar, pollen and flowers of the plants are poisonous. Serious and life-threatening levels of toxicity can happen when people purposely eat the plant. READ - Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries The Japanese plant Leucothoe grayana has bell-shaped flowers 4 - 20 mm (up to 0.7 in) long, in clusters of white or pink. Flower clusters are especially attractive to pollenating insects like bees and butterflies due to easy access of multiple blossoms. See also: Elixir of Life: Alchemy & the Emperor Pentagram: Drudenfuß, Five Point Star Baal Cycle - Myths of Ba'al Hadad Sylvia Rose Books Grayanotoxin gets its name from 19th century American botanist Asa Gray, who travels the world to study and collect plant specimens. Grayanotoxin is also known as: andromedotoxin acetylandromedol rhodotoxin asebotoxin See also: The Anxious Victorian - Mental Health Amazing Legacy of Alexander von Humboldt Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Sylvia Rose Books Ingestion of the plant or any of its products, including honey, can cause grayanotoxin poisoning. It's also known as mad honey disease, honey intoxication or rhododendron poisoning. In Turkey and Nepal plants bearing the toxin are consumed for recreational and medical purposes. Depending on the amount ingested, reactions can range from hallucinations and slow heartbeat to paralysis and unconsciousness. See also: Anat - War Goddess of Ancient Ugarit Disease Demons & Doctors: Ancient Mesopotamia Nanshe - Nature Goddess of Dreams Sylvia Rose Books While not all rhododendrons produce grayanotoxins, this one does. Rhododendron ponticum is abundant on the mountains of the eastern Black Sea area of Turkey, the home of Bronze Age mountain raiders such as the Kaska (Kashka, Kaskians). R. ponticum is recorded in association with honey poisoning since 401 BCE but is effects are probably known earlier. According to botanical archaeology, rhododendrons appear in the world 55 million - 68 million years ago, right after the Age of Dinosaurs. See also: Kish: Glory Days in Ancient Babylonia Heqet, Frog Goddess of Egypt White Pigments of Ancient Artisans Sylvia Rose Books An early account of mad honey poisoning is by Xenophon of Athens who describes a company of Greek soldiers in 401 BCE passing through Turkey. After eating honey stolen from beehives along the route, they experience such symptoms as vomiting, diarrhea disorientation inability to stand They're fine the next day. Similar reports come from the port of Sinope on the south Black Sea Coast. Modern consumers also describe such effects from mad honey. See also: Black Pigments of Ancient Artisans Gold-of-Pleasure: Bronze Age Crops Cattle Goddesses & the Cosmic Cow Sylvia Rose Books In 69 BCE the army of Pompey the Great falls for a trick by local forces, who leave honey along the marching route. Pompey's troops eat the honey. When the madness takes effect the defenders attack and kill the intoxicated soldiers. Toxic species are also native to the United States. Grayanotoxin poisoning can cause: excess salivation nasal discharge sweating tingling sensations headache depression weakness abdominal pain nausea & vomiting diarrhea paralysis death See also: Lead White & Minium Red: Colors to Die For Great Women Artists - Käthe Kollwitz Terrazzo Floors & Neolithic Masons Sylvia Rose Booksks In Turkey, most grayanotoxin poisoning cases are middle-aged men who attempt to use it for sexual enhancement. The drug has been called the "sweet" viagra, mainly by those selling it. The men present symptoms to those above. They include: abnormally slow heart rate lower blood pressure dizziness nausea fainting blurred vision hypersalivation perspiration paresthesia in the extremities and around the mouth loss of coordination severe and progressive muscular weakness See also: Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Pioneering German Women - Bertha Benz Shams - Ancient Arabian Sun Goddess Sylvia Rose Books As with most toxic plants, certain species of Ericaceae are used in herbal and folk medicine. Rhododendron health benefits include the prevention and treatment of ailments such as: heart problems dysentery diarrhea detoxification inflammation fever constipation bronchitis asthma See also: Jet Black - Ancient World Gemstones Ancient Marsh Muse - Rough Horsetail Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Sylvia Rose Books Mad honey producers operate large or small-scale enterprises. On the smaller scale they harvest honey from a local region or single hive. They cultivate a honey with high levels of grayanotoxin. Large-scale honey production often mixes honey from different locations, which dilutes the amount of any affected honey. Mad honey is produced in specific world regions, notably the Black Sea region of Turkey (91% of poisoning cases in one analysis) and Nepal (5%) See also: Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Nigella Sativa: Black Seed of Healers Arabian Leopard: Bronze Age Predators Sylvia Rose Books In Turkey, mad honey or deli bal is made from nectar of Rhododendron luteum and Rhododendron ponticum in the Caucasus region. In Nepal, the honey is used by the Gurung people for both its hallucinogenic properties, medicinal benefits and income potential. In both Turkey and Nepal it's a traditional medicine, recreational drug and source of local income. In Nepal the honey comes from giant honeybees (Apis dorsata) who nest in the highest cliffs. See also: Veratrum album - Tragic Toxins Rhododendron & the Toxic Ambrosia Ephedra - Oldest Medical Stimulant Herb Sylvia Rose Books Harvesters smoke out the bees and climb rope ladders to collect their golden red prize. The cost for honey made by the giant honey bees is steep. Because of its value the honey is usually not used locally. In China the azalea subspecies is used in traditional medicine. As topical balm it's considered effective for treating itch, rheumatism, arthritis and traumatic injuries. See also: Heimchen - House Crickets of Folklore Herbology & Lore: Poison Hemlock Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Sylvia Rose Books Besides rhododendrons and azaleas mad honey can be made from other grayanotoxin-containing plants. Honey of Andromeda polifolia is highly toxic and can cause paralysis and lethal breathing problems. Honey from spoonwood and related species such as sheep-laurel can cause serious illness. The honey from Lestrimelitta limao produces a similar paralysis as in the honey of A. polifolia and is also toxic to humans, dogs, horses and other animals. See also: Ereshkigal Goddess of Underworld & Night Nanaya - Goddess of Erotic Love Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe Sylvia Rose Books In the 18th century, mad honey is exported to Europe as an additive to alcoholic drinks to render them more potent. Mad honey is also produced from the offerings of the opium poppy. This plant has no nectar, but supplies extra pollen, so bees love it. See also: Screaming Swiss Spirit: Pfaffenkellnerin Lavender (Lavandula) Health and Nature Witches & Witchcraft: Ancient World Back to Top

Pfaffenkellnerin means "parson's waitress". She's the housekeeper of a parish priest before the Protestant Reformation. Screaming and howling with laughter through raging storms, her spirit appears on the Seebodenalp, a mountain near Lucerne, Switzerland. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures See also: Sträggele: Witch Hag of the Wild Hunt Der Türst: Dread Huntsman & the Wild Hunt Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Sylvia Rose Books In the Middle Ages, the interaction of parsons or parish priests with their housekeepers is publicly known. In Switzerland the term Pfaffenkellnerin refers to a woman ostensibly employed as a maid or housekeeper, having a sexual relationship with the priest. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures The employment of live-in sex partners as housekeepers is also found in England and other lands. The Reformation ends this practice. The Zurich city-state government passes a law requiring a priest to wed his Pfaffenkellnerin. Not all men of the cloth are willing to comply. See also: Noisy Spirits of German Mythology White Ladies in German Mythology Wiedergänger - One Who Walks Again In 1535, a fatal poisoning case links to the nuptial law. Two years prior, a Pfaffenkellnerin named Margret Zollinger wins a court case against her lover, the priest Jacob Stössel, when his mistress Anna Müller sues for the right to marry him. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The court finds the priest legally obligated to Margret. Sadly, Stössel does not fulfill the court order to marry her, and Margret is arrested for his murder by poison. Under torture she confesses. She's publicly hanged. See also: Plant Lore: Stinking Nightshade, Henbane Jimson Weed, Witches & Zombies Herbology & Lore: Poison Hemlock Sylvia Rose Books This case is prominent due to the public interest it receives. Because of it the Zürich government passes a law November 3, 1535, restricting the sale of poisons by local apothecaries, who purvey them medicinally. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Poisons sold by apothecaries are common in natural folk medicine. They include vegetable or herbal poisons such as plants with belladonna alkaloids (atropine) such as henbane, deadly nightshade, mandrake, jimson weed and datura. See also: Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe Poltergeist - Nastiest Noisy Spirit Herbology & Lore: Death Cap Mushrooms Others include monk's hood; hemlock, hellebore, colchicum (crocus), yew and opium. Mushrooms such as death cap and destroying angel also carry deadly toxins. Arsenic, also found at the apothecary, has been used since c. 2000 BCE, produced by copper smelting. A Pfaffenkellnerin also appears in Götzis, Austria. Wearing a red bodice, she often sits at an old customs barrier. See also: Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Horse in Dreams - Meaning of Horses Pentagram: Drudenfuß, Five Point Star Sylvia Rose Books It's said she unhitches animals from carts, so carters have to re-harness them. Her spirit is forever restless, because as a Pfaffenkellnerin, she fed pigs with food meant for the poor. READ: Cult of the Fire God - Bronze Age Quest Adventure The Lucerne Pfaffenkellnerin is also associated with pigs in the form of wild boars. She may manifest as a mother sow, especially at night. Encountering her in this form causes stark terror. People have fainted on seeing her, and cannot be revived for days. See also: Heimchen - House Crickets of Folklore Amazons - Warrior Women History & Myth Kashka - Mountain Raiders of Anatolia She's also seen in the area of the river Schwarzenbach in the canton of Zug. On stormy winter nights she rages through the skies, a terrible figure in black accompanied by howling cats, baying dogs or squealing pigs. Any who see her fall into a physical or mental illness. READ: Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction - German Mythology Adventures Eldritch creatures, the animals of the Pfaffenkellnerin may have three legs or hybrid forms similar to the pig-dogs who run with der Türst. Like the malevolent Mare of myth she rides pine or fir trees and twists them out of shape. See also: Eschenfrau: Wicked Ash Tree Woman Drude: Germanic Demon of Darkness German Myth: Lindwyrm, Mare & Pig Demons Sylvia Rose Books Her shrieking laughter peals over the sound of blizzard and gale. It's thought she urges the winds to howl and skies to thunder. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries Various stories of Pfaffenkellnerinnen are often connected to children. In one tale she dies due to missing the baptism of her godchild. In another, she kills her illegitimate child and is sentenced to death. She becomes one of the restless Undead and her spirit finds no solace. See also: Fänggen (Fangga): Man-Eaters of Tyrol Mad Honey - What's the Buzz? Night Raven (Nachtkrapp) Germania A significant part of the Reformation is the abolition of clerical continence and celibacy. Reformers denounce it as opposing the New Testament, which suggests a cleric should be "husband of one wife" and the right of the apostles to take a believing Christian as a wife. READ: Reiker For Hire - Victorian Detective Murder Mysteries "Marriage should be honored by all," says Hebrews 13:4. Reformers blame the requirement of celibacy for widespread sexual misconduct among the clergy, including the keeping of concubines and Pfaffenkellnerinen. See also: Shamhat: Sacred Prostitute & the Wild Man Wandering Womb - Ancient Medicine Alp or Alps: Elves & Alpine Mountains Sylvia Rose Books In England, celibacy is required for early Anglican clergy, under Henry VIII. It's repealed by his son Edward VI in the mid-1500s. Several key Reformation activists marry, including Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli (1522), Martin Luther (1525) and John Calvin (1539). See also: Sinope: Poison, Honey, Greeks & Clay Mugwort (Wormwood) Herbal Lore Witches & Witchcraft: Ancient World Back to Top