Tag: Chants

Let’s Have Some Fun – Northern Hemisphere Yule/Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice Ritual Potpourri

Recipe by Gerina Dunwich

20 drops musk oil

25 drops pine oil

1 cup oak moss

2 cups dried mistletoe

1 cup dried poinsettia flowers

1 cup dried bayberries

1/2 cup dried rosemary

1/2 cup dried holly leaves and berries

3 crushed pinecones

Mix the musk and pine oils with the oak moss, and then add the remaining ingredients. Stir the potpourri well and store in a tightly covered ceramic or glass container.

(The above recipe for “Yule Ritual Potpourri” is quoted directly from Gerina Dunwich’s book “The Wicca Spellbook: A Witch’s Collection of Wiccan Spells, Potions and Recipes”, page 162, A Citadel Press Book, Carol Publishing Group, 1994/1995)

 

Let’s Have Some Fun – Southern Hemisphere Litha/Summer Solstice

Magickal Activity for December 21, The Summer Solstice

Floating Candles

Midsummer is a celebration of light and life, symbolized by the flame of a candle and the movement of water. A large glass bowl filled with an assortment of floating candles makes a wonderful point of focus for ritual. Choose bright yellow sunflowers, white lilies, and red tulip-shaped candles. Have each person participating in the ritual inscribe his or her desire, with a pin, on a candle. Have each person come forward, place his or her candle in the bowl and light it as he makes his wish. Following the ritual, the bowl is placed outdoors, and the candles are left to burn out.

The Sun Wheel

One of the most popular symbols of Midsummer is the Sun Wheel, the turning of which suggests the turning, or progression, of the seasons. The Wheel is decorated with flowers, fresh herbs, and brightly colored ribbons.

The simplest method for making a Sun Wheel is to buy an already-prepared natural-branch wreath from an arts and crafts store. Affix small branches of rowan to form the spokes of the wheel (four spokes to represent the elements and cross-quarter days or eight to symbolize the eight Wiccan Sabbats). Use floral wire to attach fresh flowers and herbs to the wreath. Embellish with brightly colored ribbons. The wheel can be used as the focal point for your Midsummer rites or hung on the front door of your home for decoration.

Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence Digest for Sunday

From mycrystalaura.com.au

Sun day

Planet: Sun.
Colours: Gold and Orange.
Metal: Gold.
Crystals: Amber, Tigers Eye, Carnelian, Sunstone, Topaz, Diamond.

From Ancient Pathway

Magickal Intentions:
Growth, Advancements, Enlightment, Rational Thought, Exorcism, Healing, Prosperity, Hope, Exorcism, Money		 Incense:
Lemon
Frankincense
Planet:
Sun		 Sign:
Leo		 Angel:
Colors:
Gold
Yellow
Orange
White		 Herbs/Plants:
Marigold
Heliotrope
Sunflower
Buttercup
Cedar
Beech
Oak		 Stones:
Carnelian
Citrine
Tiger’s Eye
Amber
Quartz Crystal
Red Agate

From Spell 8

Magick Candle

Light a yellow candle to promote mental clarity and knowledge. Meditating with a yellow candle promotes creativity, imagination, communication, mental strength and intellect. It is great for requests of creativity, materialization and trust.

Ruling Deities

Wiccan God Apollo Wiccan Goddess Brighid Wiccan God Helios Wiccan God RaApollo, Brighid, Helios and Ra are rulers of Sundays.

Crystals

Amber, Carnelian, Diamond, Tiger’s Eye.

Carrying these gemstones today can bring success and fulfillment of your goals. Wear them as a talisman or simply keep them close to you to harness their energy.

Potion

Drink a cup of Honey and Ginger Tea to fill your Sunday with positive energy. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that ginger restores devastated yang¹. It is a symbol of strength and purity. Ginger even appears in the ancient Hindu text, the Kama Sutra, where its use is entrusted to enhance sexual relationships and help flow the energy of love and sensuality.

From whats-your-sign.com

The archangel Michael is in charge of this day.  In the Hebrew language, Michael’s name means: ‘One who is as God’. Sunday and Michael are both associated with the Sun. This makes a lot of sense.  Consider, Sunday in earlier eras was commonly established as the day of Sabbath, or day of worship.  The symbolic meaning of the Sun is akin to the spirit, the light that shines bright within us, the fire within the soul.  Archangel Michael and the Sun are mighty partners to enhance our virtues, devotionals, prayers and meditations on Sunday.

For Your Listening PLeasure

SONG OF SUMMER SOLSTICE | Kulning & Nyckelharpa

This song is short but sweet.

For Your Listening Pleasure

“Wiccan Wonderland” Yule Carols by Karina Skye (Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland)

To Reverse Awakening Spell

Hibiscus Sabdariffa

Disclaimer: This is not meant to take the place of any medications prescribed by your health care professional. This is for informational use only. Do not start any herbal supplement without first talking to your health care professional.

OTHER NAME(S):

Abelmoschus Cruentus, Agua de Jamaica, Ambashthaki, Bissap, Erragogu, Flor de Jamaica, Florida cranberry, Furcaria Sabdariffa, Gongura, Groseille de Guinée, Guinea Sorrel, Hibisco, Hibiscus Calyx, Hibiscus Cruentus, Hibiscus Fraternus, Hibiscus Palmatilobus, Jamaica Sorrel, Karkade, Karkadé, Kenaf, Lo Shen, Oseille de Guinée, Oseille Rouge, Pulicha Keerai, Red Sorrel, Red Tea, Rosa de Jamaica, Rosella, Roselle, Sabdariffa Rubra Sour Tea, Sudanese Tea, Te de Jamaica, Thé Rose d’Abyssinie, Thé Rouge, Zobo, Zobo Tea

Overview

Hibiscus sabdariffa is a plant considered safe in common food amounts. As a tea, it may be beneficial for high blood pressure.

The fruit acids in Hibiscus sabdariffa might work like a laxative. Other chemicals in Hibiscus sabdariffa might be able to lower blood pressure, reduce levels of sugar and fats in the blood, reduce swelling, and work like antibiotics.

People use Hibiscus sabdariffa for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.

Next

From webmd.com

For Your Listening Pleasure

Solstice Evergreen

For Your Listening Pleasure

Pagan Jingle Bells

December 2021 Pagan Calendar Information

From TheGyspyThread.org

1st           Neptune Retrograde ends

4th           New Moon (12:44 AM, MST)

5th           Krampusnacht

13th/14th  Geminids Meteor Shower

17th         Roman Holiday of Saturnalia

18th         Full Cold Moon (9:37 PM, MST)

19th        Venus Retrograde begins

21st         Yule

21st         Winter Solstice

21st         Zodiac Period of Sagittarius ends

22nd        Zodiac Period of Capricorn begins

23rd        Celtic Tree Month of Elder ends

24th         Celtic Tree Month of Birch begins

29th         Full Cold Moon (8:30 PM, MST)

 

References to 2021 Calendar Events

The Sacred Tree Calendar of the Celtic People

Walpurgisnacht – The Night of the Witches

Lupercalia – The Deliciously Lustful Origin of Valentine’s Day

Rites & Rituals – Pagan Ceremonies, Rituals, and Full Moon Celebrations

The Asatru Community

Some December 2021 Pagan Calendar Observances

From WiccanFamilyTemple.org

DEC. 1: – Greek / Roman Day of Pallas Athena / Minerva.
– Day for Meditation on Tantric Bodhisattva Goddess Red Tara – Protector against evil and harm.

DEC. 3: – Roman Day of Cybele / Rhea – The Great Mother.

DEC. 4: – Feast of Shango – Orisha who defends against evil.

DEC. 6: – Mindfulness Day – Zen Buddhist day for mindfully seeing and acting with compassion for the poor and oppressed.

DEC. 7: – Haloia of Demeter.

DEC. 7 – 9: Feast of the Immanent Feminine Divine Spirit – Honoring Goddess as Maha Devi Shakti (Hindu), Holy Spirit Wisdom (Christian).

DEC. 8: Rohatsu – Zen Buddhist celebration of the Buddha’s enlightenment.

DEC. 11: – Sacred to Arianrhod.

DEC. 12: – Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Mother of God and Mother of the Oppressed.

DEC. 13: – Feast of the Light-bringer – Honoring Goddess as Juno Lucina (Old Roman).

DEC. 14 – 28: Halcyon Days: time of tranquility.

DEC. 17: – Yoruba / Santeria feast of Orisha Babalu Aye – Healer of deadly diseases.
– Roman/Greek: Saturnalia begins festival to Saturn/Kronos as Harvest and Father Time with His scythe

DEC. 18: – Sacred to Epona.

DEC. 19: – Modresnact: Norse Mothers Night Festival.

DEC. 21: – thru 25 – Old Egyptian festival of Isis, the Magna Mater (Mother of God and Mother of All) giving birth to God Horus.
– YULE SABBAT: Winter Solstice; Return of the Sun God.

DEC. 23: – Sacred to Hathor.

DEC. 24: – Celtic Tree Month – Month of Reed ends, Tree Month of Elder begins.
– Celtic / German Nodlaig Eve/Modresnach: Night of the Great Mother

DEC. 25: – European Feasts of Herne, Frey, Dionysus – Birth of the God, the Light of the World.

DEC. 25: thru Jan 5: Old Norse festival honoring Saturn, Dionysus, Frey and Freya (Deities of Fertility) and the birth of the new-born Baldur (God of Light) with evergreens, fires, and feasting.

DEC. 28: – Sacred to Freya.

DEC. 31: Hogmanay—New Year’s Eve; Crone preparing to depart, winter at its height; Crone, old and withered year changes at midnight into young and fresh New Year. Hag’s Eve.
– Egyptian Lucky Day of Sekmet – Sekmet, the ravaging lioness, with her burning solar eye, is the destroyer/devourer aspect of the goddess.

 

Celtic Tree Calendar Month of the Elder – a tree sacred to the Celts

I am sorry I got the current Celtic calendar month posted a week late. I was down with allergies and (this was a PERSONAL CHOICE) getting my covid vaccine booster.

From Ireland-Calling.com

In Ireland, the elder was considered a sacred tree and, like the hawthorn, it was forbidden to cut one down. The elder tree was prized for its many uses culinary, medicinal and mystical.

Both the flowers and berries of the elder can be used to make wine. Elderflower wine was said to be drunk at the Beltane celebrations and elderberries were made into a wine at Samhain which was consumed to promote divination and hallucinations.

Poisonous

The seeds, bark, leaves and flowers of the elder can be poisonous as is the unripe fruit so special care must have been taken when preparing such beverages.

Ruis, R, Elder is the fifteenth letter in the ogham alphabet, Ruis, and the thirteenth and final month of the Celtic tree calendar.

The superstition of never cutting down an elder bush was not unique to Ireland. In Denmark, peasants never chopped an elder because Hyldemor, The Elder Mother, lived in the trunk.

This belief was possibly brought to the East of England by the Vikings and, even today, in Lincolnshire people ask permission from ‘The Old Lady’ before taking cuttings from the tree.

Christians gave elder a bad reputation

Christians believed that the elder tree was the tree that Judas hanged himself from, therefore making it unlucky. Some also believed the cross was made of elder wood. In fact the Christians gave the elder a bad reputation in general.

It was during Christian times that the elder became most associated with witches and many stories of ‘elder-witches’ spread throughout Ireland and Britain. This developed into an association with the devil.

To burn elder wood in your fire would bring the devil into your house.

Celts believed it protected the from evil spirits

It seems more likely that rather than a tree to be feared the elder was a highly respected tree in the old Celtic land. It was said to protect from evil spirits as well as inviting them.

Cradles were built from elder wood to protect babies and elder bushes were often planted around cattle to keep them healthy. It was believed that planting an elder near your house would also protect it from lightning.

At the same time, a flute made of elder could be used to summon spirits and, in Scotland, if you stand under an elder tree at Samhain you will be able to see the fairies riding by.

Here are 12 religious holidays believers celebrate in December

From deseret.com

Note: This article has been updated to reflect this year’s dates for these holidays.

December has finally arrived, and with it comes an abundance of colorful lights, vibrant wreaths and a bunch of family parties.

Most of these celebrations are inspired by Christmas and Hanukkah, the two major religious holidays celebrated by Christians and Jewish believers, respectively, in America.

But, with an increasing amount of interfaith marriages, many American families have had to figure out how to celebrate both holidays, according to InterfaithFamily, a support website for interfaith families.

“Though the character of Christmas has changed significantly in modern times, Christmas has never been, forgive the expression, a small potatoes holiday like Hanukkah. As Jews are increasingly accepted into the mainstream of majority-Christian cultures, and marry into Christian families, there is no avoiding the primacy of Christmas.”

But those aren’t the only religious holidays this month that some families may have to celebrate together. In fact, the Interfaith Calendar organization lists a number of religious holidays for the month of December. Here are 12 holidays with a little explanation on each.

Dec. 6: Saint Nicholas Day — Christian

This holiday honors the birth of Saint Nicholas, the saint who serves as a role model for gift-giving and is commonly known as Santa Claus, according to Interfaith Calendar.

Dec. 8: Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) — Buddhist

This holiday celebrates the historical Buddha’s decision and vow to sit under the Bodhi tree until he reached spiritual enlightenment. It’s celebrated through meditation and is embraced similar to how Christians celebrate Christmas to honor Jesus Christ.

Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception — Catholic

In the lead-up to Jesus’ birthday celebration on Christmas, Catholics celebrate the day of Immaculate Conception to honor his mother Mary, who they say was preserved from original sin for her entire life.

Dec. 10 to 18: Hanukkah — Judaism

This is the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, which celebrates the Maccabean revolt in Egypt. Eight candles are lit with a menorah to honor the holiday.

Dec. 12: Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe — Catholic

This is a primarily Catholic holiday celebrated by Mexicans and Americans of Mexican descent that honors the reported appearance of the Virgin Mary in Mexico City, according to Interfaith Calendar.

Dec. 16: Posadas Navidenas — Christian

This is a primarily Hispanic Christian holiday that commends Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus, according to Interfaith Calendar.

Dec. 21: Solstice — Wicca/Pagan

Solstice is the point in the year “when the earth is most inclined away from the sun. It is the most southern or northern point depending on the hemisphere,” according to Interfaith Calendar. Pagans and Wicca believers will celebrate that event through Yule, in which believers also honor “the winter-born king, symbolized by the rebirth of the sun,” Interfaith Calendar explained.

Dec. 25: Christmas — Christian

Christmas is a primarily Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Many will attend church, have family parties and exchange gifts, according to Interfaith Calendar.

Dec. 26: Zarathosht Diso (Death of Prophet Zarathustra) — Zoroastrian

Unlike many of the other holidays in the month, Zoroastrians honor the death of their prophet, Zarathustra, who founded Zoroastrianism, one of the world’s oldest monotheistic religions.

Dec. 27: Feast of the Holy Family — Catholic

Catholics use this day to honor Jesus, Mary and Joseph, according to Interfaith Calendar.

Dec. 28: Holy Innocents Day — Christian

Christians solemnly honor the deaths of children killed by King Herod, who was attempting to kill Jesus, according to Interfaith Calendar.

Dec. 31: Watch Night — Christian

For Watch Night, Christians will thank God for the safety they received during the year, according to Interfaith Calendar.

For more on world religious holidays, head to Princeton University’s website.

December 2021’s Full List of Holidays and Observances Including national and religious holidays.

From womansday.com

For many people, December is all about preparing for Santa’s arrival, but that’s not the only celebration that takes place throughout the month. In addition to Christmas and all the festivities that come with it — like National Christmas Lights Day, National Christmas Movie Marathon Day, and Christmas Card Day — December holidays and observances include the last days of Hanukkah, the beginning of Kwanzaa, as well as Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve, and dozens of other celebrations, ranging from Let’s Hug Day to Bathtub Party Day. If you’re looking to start planning out your month (and to discover holidays you probably didn’t even know about), then consider this your official December 2021 holiday guide.

Between holiday decorating and gift shopping, you probably find that the month of December flies by every year, and before you know it, it’s time to make your New Year’s resolutions for 2022. And while you may be using your advent calendar to count down to December 25, there’s a reason to celebrate every day in December, both before and after Christmas Day. From solemn remembrances, like the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, to silly traditions, like Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, here are all the holidays and events that are observed in December 2021.

Wednesday, Dec. 1

  • World AIDS Day
  • National Christmas Lights Day
  • Peppermint Bark Day
  • National Package Protection Day
  • Bifocals at the Monitor Liberation Day
  • Eat a Red Apple Day

Thursday, Dec. 2

  • National Mutt Day
  • International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
  • National Fritters Day
  • Safety Razor Day
  • Business of Popping Corn Day

Friday, Dec. 3

  • National Bartender Day
  • International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • Make a Gift Day
  • National Roof Over Your Head Day
  • National Green Bean Casserole Day
  • Let’s Hug Day
  • Ghana Farmer’s Day
  • Faux Fur Friday
  • International Sweater Vestival

Saturday, Dec. 4

  • Candle Day
  • World Wildlife Conservation Day
  • International Day of Banks
  • World Pear Day
  • National Cookie Day
  • National Sock Day
  • Wear Brown Shoes Day
  • Tree Dressing Day
  • Skywarn Recognition Day
  • Santa’s List Day
  • International Cheetah Day
  • National Dice Day
  • Global Fat Bike Day
  • Earmuff Day
  • Cabernet Franc Day

Sunday, Dec. 5

  • International Ninja Day
  • International Volunteer Day
  • National Repeal Day
  • World Soil Day
  • Sacher-Torte Day
  • Bathtub Party Day

Monday, Dec. 6

  • National Gazpacho Day
  • National Miners Day
  • Last Day of Hanukkah
  • St. Nicholas Day
  • Walt Disney Day
  • Put on Your Own Shoes Day
  • National Pawnbrokers Day
  • Mitten Tree Day
  • National Microwave Oven Day
  • National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women

Tuesday, Dec. 7

  • Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
  • International Civil Aviation Day
  • National Letter Writing Day
  • World Trick Shot Day
  • National Cotton Candy Day

Wednesday, Dec. 8

  • National Brownie Day
  • Feast of the Immaculate Conception
  • Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day
  • Bodhi Day

Thursday, Dec. 9

  • National Llama Day
  • International Anti-Corruption Day
  • International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide
  • Christmas Card Day
  • International Day of Veterinary Medicine
  • National Pastry Day
  • Techno Day
  • Weary Willie Day

Friday, Dec. 10

  • Human Rights Day
  • Dewey Decimal System Day
  • Nobel Prize Day
  • International Animal Rights Day
  • Jane Addams Day
  • National Lager Day

Saturday, Dec. 11

  • International Mountain Day
  • UNICEF Birthday
  • Christmas Jumper Day
  • International Shareware Day
  • National App Day
  • Noodle Ring Day

Sunday, Dec. 12

  • Gingerbread House Day
  • Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
  • National Poinsettia Day
  • International Day of Neutrality
  • International Universal Health Coverage Day
  • ​National Ding-A-Ling Day
  • National Ambrosia Day
  • Worldwide Candle Lighting Day

Monday, Dec. 13

  • Green Monday
  • National Day of the Horse
  • National Guard Birthday
  • National Salesperson Day
  • National Violin Day
  • National Cocoa Day
  • Pick a Pathologist Pal Day
  • National Ice Cream Day

Tuesday, Dec. 14

  • Monkey Day
  • National Free Shipping Day
  • Asarah B’Tevet
  • Roast Chestnuts Day
  • Halcyon Days
  • National Energy Conservation Day
  • National Bouillabaisse Day
  • Martyred Intellectuals Day

Wednesday, Dec. 15

  • Bill of Rights Day
  • National Wear Your Pearls Day
  • International Tea Day
  • Lemon Cupcake Day
  • National Cat Herders Day
  • National Cupcake Day

Thursday, Dec. 16

  • National Chocolate Covered Anything Day
  • Barbie and Barney Backlash Day
  • Las Posadas

Friday, Dec. 17

  • Wright Brothers Day
  • Pan American Aviation Day
  • National Ugly Sweater Day
  • National Maple Syrup Day
  • National Underdog Day
  • National Device Appreciation Day

Saturday, Dec. 18

  • Arabic Language Day
  • National Wreaths Across America Day
  • Answer the Telephone Like Buddy the Elf Day
  • National Twin Day
  • International Migrants Day
  • Bake Cookies Day
  • National Roast Suckling Pig Day

Sunday, Dec. 19

  • National Emo Day
  • National Hard Candy Day
  • National Oatmeal Muffin Day
  • Look for an Evergreen Day

Monday, Dec. 20

  • International Human Solidarity Day
  • Games Day
  • Go Caroling Day
  • National Sangria Day

Tuesday, Dec. 21

  • Winter Solstice
  • National Crossword Puzzle Day
  • National Short Girl Appreciation Day
  • National Homeless Persons’ Remembrance Day
  • Look on the Bright Side Day
  • National French Fried Shrimp Day
  • Phileas Fogg Win a Wager Day
  • Humbug Day
  • National Flashlight Day
  • International Dalek Remembrance Day
  • Blue Christmas
  • National Coquito Day

Wednesday, Dec. 22

  • National Cookie Exchange Day
  • National Short Person Day
  • Forefathers’ Day
  • Mathematics Day
  • National Date Nut Bread Day

Thursday, Dec. 23

  • National Roots Day
  • Festivus
  • National Pfeffernusse Day
  • Kisan Diwas
  • National Christmas Movie Marathon Day

Friday, Dec. 24

  • Christmas Eve
  • The Feast of the Seven Fishes
  • National Consumer Rights Day
  • National Eggnog Day

Saturday, Dec. 25

  • Christmas Day
  • National Pumpkin Pie Day
  • Quaid-e-Azam Day

Sunday, Dec. 26

  • Kwanzaa
  • Boxing Day
  • National Thank You Note Day
  • National Whiners Day
  • Day of Goodwill
  • National Candy Cane Day

Monday, Dec. 27

  • International Day of Epidemic Preparedness
  • Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day
  • National Fruitcake Day

Tuesday, Dec. 28

  • National Playing Card Day
  • National Short Film Day
  • Pledge of Allegiance Day
  • National Call a Friend Day
  • National Download Day
  • Proclamation Day
  • National Chocolate Candy Day
  • Holy Innocents Day

Wednesday, Dec. 29

  • Still Need to Do Day
  • National Pepper Pot Day
  • Tick Tock Day

Thursday, Dec. 30

  • National Bacon Day
  • Falling Needles Family Fest Day
  • National Resolution Planning Day

Friday, Dec. 31

  • New Year’s Eve
  • No Interruptions Day
  • Hogmanay
  • Make Up Your Mind Day
  • National Champagne Day

What kind of spells could we cast on a Monday?

What kind of spells could we cast on a Monday?

As it’s a day ruled by the Moon, which is all about feminine energy, Monday is the perfect day to cast fertility and feminine beauty spells.

It’s also a wonderful day to consecrate spiritual, magickal tools and to plant seeds for new projects and dreams.

Which planet influences Monday

The Moon influences Monday. Yes, ancient populations have always followed the lunar and solar cycles, including the Egyptians, the Sumerians, the Babylonians, and the Jews. Today we follow the solar calendar, but the Moon…

To read more about Monday’s Spellwork

Which are the best spells to cast on a Sunday?

Which are the best spells to cast on a Sunday?

On a Sunday, you can cast the spells related to money, desires, favored friendships, obtaining the support of other people, stopping the hostility of enemies, and overcoming obstacles.

How to use Sunday’s energy?

  • Take a walk outside and soak up the sunlight (even if it’s a cloudy day, go for it! The Sun is still there!)
  • Cast a success spell
  • Create a success sigil
  • Focus on positivity to cleanse the negativity from your life

Which celestial body influences Sunday?

The Sun influences Sunday. The Sun is found in all cultures, but in Wicca, it symbolizes God…

To read more about Sunday’s Spellwork

Plant portraits

The illustrations in medieval herbals are beautiful and mysterious. But if you know how to read them, they also convey a wealth of knowledge about the plants they portray.

From WelcomeCollection.com

The illustrated herbal has an almost unbroken line of descent from the ancient Greeks to the Middle Ages. The tradition owes much to a work by the Greek physician Dioscorides called ‘De Materia Medica’ (50–70 CE), which describes around 1,000 medicines, largely derived from plants, along with some animals and mineral substances.

‘De Materia Medica’ was circulated throughout the European and Islamic worlds. During that time it was translated, embellished and added to in commentaries and copies for local use. In Europe, this tradition developed into the medieval herbal, created in monasteries, usually by …

 

When Isis Was Queen

Ancient Egyptian Goddess Isis and God Osiris

At the ancient Egyptian temples of Philae, Nubians gave new life to a vanishing religious tradition.

Hathor.When the Romans conquered Egypt in 30 B.C., the country’s system of temples, which had sustained religious traditions dating back more than 3,000 years, began to slowly wither away. Starved of the funds that pharaohs traditionally supplied to religious institutions, priests lost their vocation and temples fell into disuse throughout the country. The introduction of Christianity in the first century a.d. only hastened this process. But there was one exception to this trend: In the temples on the island of Philae in the Nile River, rites dedicated to the goddess Isis and the god Osiris continued to be celebrated in high style for some 500 years after the Roman conquest. This final flowering of ancient Egyptian religion was only possible because of the piety and support of Egypt’s neighbors to the south, the Nubians.

Philae lies just south of the Nile’s first cataract—one of six rapids along the river—which marked the historical border between ancient Egypt and Nubia, also known as Kush. In this region of Kush, called Lower Nubia, the temple complex at Philae was just one of many that were built on islands in the Nile and along its banks. Throughout the long history of Egypt and Nubia, Lower Nubia was a kind of buffer zone between these two lands and a place…