LOVE POTIONS

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Mustard was often used in a poultice to bring blood to the surface to relieve congestion and this ability to rouse the system to activity earned mustard seed a place in love potions. Coriander seed was also considered to have such powers for the Persians who developed an elaborate charm to return an earring husband. ‘Mix cloves, cinnamon and coriander in a large jar; recite over this seven times backward the ‘Yasin’ chapter of the Koran; then fill the jar with rose with rose water. Immerse a shirt of the husband and a piece of paper with the name of the truant on all four angles in to the jar and place it over a fire. As soon as boiling begins, the husband is on his way home.’

Caraway was believed to prevent departures so it, too, was used in love potions. The same principle is employed by today’s pigeon fanciers who claim that a tame pigeon will always return if there is baked who claim that a tame pigeon will always return if there is baked caraway seed bread in its dove cote. Cardamom was yet seed caraway seed bread in its dove cote. Cardamom was yet another seed used in love philters as it was considered to be an aphrodisiac by the Greeks and Romans. Perhaps this was simply because it makes the breath sweeter. The use of cardamom (a Greek word for ‘spice plant’) is recorded in Sanskrit, eighth century BC. It is also listed as one of the 400 simples noted by Hippocrates in the fifth century BC and is still used by Arabs in curries or as candy and sometimes chewed to relieve indigestion.