Plant name Adamova glava in the Russian manuscripted herbals of the XVIII–XIX centuries Cover Image
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Растения с названием Адамова глава в русских рукописных травниках
Plant name Adamova glava in the Russian manuscripted herbals of the XVIII–XIX centuries

Author(s): Aleksandra Borisova Ippolitova
Subject(s): Anthropology, Social Sciences, Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Customs / Folklore, Eastern Slavic Languages, South Slavic Languages, Cultural Anthropology / Ethnology, Philology
Published by: Асоциация за антропология, етнология и фолклористика ОНГЬЛ

Summary/Abstract: Adamova glava - one of the most famous plant in Russian mythological herbarium. Plant name Adamova glava (and similar variants) is fixed in the Russian manuscripted herbals from the beginning of the XVIII century. The text analysis shows that it is not a single plant, but several different ones. The purpose of this report - to show what kinds of articles in herbals related to plant name Adamova glava and what folkloric motifs correspond with it. We identified five types of articles and the following groups of motives: a) the Rituals of Herb-Gathering: on the eve of Midsummer Day at dawn, to tear through silver and gold / with cross, with prayers; b) Nomination: plant is the king of all herbs; c) The functions of the plant: from porcha smertnaia, infertility, for favor heads; to cause water and air demons; assistance in the construction of dams, tall buildings; rapid healing of wounds; g) etiological legend: the plant appeared on the Jordan River under the holy tree cypress.