The Folklore of Herbs and Death
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By Agnes Farside
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Herbs have long been used in remedies to help heal the sick and prevent disease. However, folklore tells us that herbs have also been used as an important ingredient with regards to death, passing from this life to the next. Essential oils derived from herbs have been used to anoint the dying and to help with the embalming process. Ancient cultures used herbs to decorate coffins, gravesites, and shrines, and help ease the suffering of those left behind. Dried herbs were often burned at gravesites to help the departed loved one on their peaceful journey to the afterlife.
Rosemary, the herb often associated with remembrance, has been referred to as the funeral flower. Sprigs of rosemary were often placed in the deceased hands or placed on the closed coffin by the bereaved.
Egyptians used thyme as one of the ingredients in the liquid they used to embalm the dead before wrapping them. Ancients believed that thyme helped ease the soul of a person who was killed a violent death. Folklore relates that because thyme is so greatly associated with death it is considered unlucky to have it in ones house.
Shakespeare, as well as the Hindu, associated marigolds with funerals. It was often used in funeral sprays, and a small bouquet made with a combination of marigolds and other flowers symbolized helping to sooth their grief when given to a mourner.
Tansy essential oil, believed by ancients to be a preservative, was rubbed on the deceased body to help prevent decay. Sprigs of tansy were also included in the shroud or coffin in hopes of warding off offending creatures.
Early Christians associated parsley, an herb for the deceased, to St. Peter, believing he was the guide for the souls of the dead. Greeks used the herb as a grave or tomb decoration, and believed it a bad sign if the herb was encountered when in route to a battle.
Marjoram was often planted on graves and the belief was that if it flourished the deceased passed peacefully onto the next life. If it did not do well, than the soul was struggling with misdeeds performed while amongst the living.
Many countries still observe the use of herbs with relationship to death. If not for what the specific herb is reputed to accomplish, than for honoring age-old traditions.
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Author Bio Box: Agnes Farside
 Please check out my other articles at: http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/110407/agnes_farside.html
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