БОРОДА ДОНАРА, ГРОМОВА РОСЛИНА, ДАХОВЕ ЗІЛЛЯ: ПРО ІСТОРІЮ НАРОДНИХ НАЗВ МОЛОДИЛА ПОКРІВЕЛЬНОГО
DONAR’S BEARD, THUNDER PLANT, ROOF HERB: ON THE HISTORY OF THE POPULAR NAMES OF HOUSELEEK

Summary/Abstract: The article deals with the history of popular names of houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum L.)– a perennial plant that was planted on house roofs in Europe since ancient times. It is native to the mountains of southern Europe. This plant has been known to humans for thousands of years, and has attracted many common names and traditions. Mentioned already by ancient and early medieval writers, it has been traditionally thought to protect against thunderstorms and fire. In his Capitulare de villis vel curtis imperii, Charlemagne recommended it be grown on top of houses. In some places of Germany and England houseleek is still traditionally grown on the roofs of houses. Among Slavic peoples, the tradition of roof-top houseleeks was practiced for a long time too. According to a belief, well-known in England, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Hungary and some other countries, a house, on the roof of which houseleek is growing, will be never struck by lightning. This plant is able to ward off fire and lightning strikes. The faith in this miraculous power of houseleek has been remained still in the late 19th – early 20th century. It was preserved in its names among different peoples, which reflect an association of this plant with the Thunder-God, for example, with the Roman thunder-god Jupiter, notably the Latin barba Jovis and its French derivative joubarbe; or with the Norse thunder-god Thor as in German Donnerbart and Dutch Donderbaard. The association with the Thunderer has been derived from a resemblance between the flowers and the god’s red beard. Romanian iarba tunului iarba de tun Czech netřesk and English thunderplant simply refer to thunder. Other common names, such as Anglo-Saxon singrēne refer to its longevity. They reflect also its role as a charm for dwellings and roofs – German Dachwurz Hauswurz English houseleek Serbian čuvarkuča.

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