Hi Ursula,
Here are some references and web sites that mention the magical properties of
hazelnuts, and acorns however, it would appear that hazel and oak are more
symboic and magical than their fruit. Vickery probably has a section on
apples.
Loewenfeld. C. 1957 Britain’s wild larder: nuts. Faber and Faber: London.
Vickery. R 1995 A dictionary of plant use. Oxford University Press
Hagen. A. 1995 A second handbook of Anglo-Saxon food and drink: production and
distribution. Anglo-Saxon Books: Norfolk.
www.angelfire.com/1.12/purpleflame/herbs/oak.html
www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.mythhazel.html
Best wishes
Penny Cunningham
>===== Original Message From The archaeobotany mailing list
<[log in to unmask]> =====
>In a late antique grave in Lower Austria well preserved apples, acorns
>and hazelnuts were recovered. These fruits were placed in the grave and
>are the only botanical finds in the whole cemetery. Preservation was
>caused by corrosion products of metal objects also present in the grave.
>I seem to remember that all three plants have some symbolic significance
>but cannot find any literature going beyond generalities. Can the
>archaeobotanical community help in this respect?
>
>Thanks, Ursula Thanheiser
|