Cult of the lamb natural burial12/2/2023 ![]() The present article is a survey of the plants ritually used in Muslim graveyards of in northern Israel in the context of their cultural and ethnobotanical background. While Spoer and Spoer :131] mentioned that "sweet smelling herbs" are placed on graves in Palestine. Interestingly, several authors dealing with Muslim funeral customs, don't mentioned any ceremonial use of plants of any kind. Secular Jews bring garlands of flowers and leave them on the tombs, but the ultra-religious are forbidden to plant any plant or flower upon graves : IIV 34–35]. While Goody :46–47] stated "Down today one finds stones not flowers in the cemetery, and then as reminder rather than offering". Vickery :187] mentioned "In communities where burial takes place very soon after death, as is the case with Orthodox Jews, flowers are rarely associated with mourning, and the substitutes are mainly stones". In modern times Orthodox Jews do not use flowers in ceremonies, synagogues, cemeteries or even in houses :46–47]. Therefore, as a rejection of their neighbours' "idolatry", they did not display flowers or plants at their ceremonies. As we have seen the Israelites accepted neither the sacrifices made to their neighbour's gods nor the garlands that accompanied these offerings" :70]. The ancient Israelites differed from other religions: "The culture of flowers had put down deep roots in most societies of the Mediterranean and the Near East, being rejected only by ancient Israelites. After the funeral, fresh flowers, especially roses, lilies and violets, were used to deck out tombs as a memorial to show that the dead were still remembered :67 :195 :151]. Flowers were scattered on the guests at the funeral banquet, and wreaths of dry and artificial flowers were placed at the tomb. ![]() The corpse was adorned as an expression of honour and affection. Roman funerals demanded a lot of flowers. The ancient Christians would choose different plants according to the age of the dead person: the flowers so used were deemed typical of the dead: to the young were assigned the blossoms of spring and summer, to middle age, aromatic herbs and the branches of primeval trees". Statues and coffins of the deceased were decorated with garlands of flowers :89].Īccording to Folkard :194] "The flowers strewed over graves by the Greeks were the Amaranth, Myrtle, and Polyanthous (= Narcissus). These flowers, and flowers of lotus, were used in funerals. ![]() In the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt (16 – 12 centuries BC.) flowers of a particular sacred tree were considered life giving, so they were called "flowers of life". The association of certain trees and plants with death and its glooming surrounding dates from a period remote and shadowy in its activity".Ī century later Vickery :196] noted: "Flowers symbolize human mortality, and are equally symbolic of resurrection and rebirth, springtime and autumn, renewal and decay, and have long continued to provide consolation and hope at critical times in man's life". Folkard :193] wrote, "All nations at different periods seem to have delighted to deck the graves of their departed relatives with garlands of flowers. Plants, especially flowers, have been used at funerals in many cultures :66–70 :165–167 : 3–5]. ![]() Plants were used to mark rites of passage both in human and in the annual cycle, as well as to decorate and to symbolize :262]. Most of the traditions are common to the whole Middle East showing high relatedness to the classical world as well as to the present-day Europe. In conclusion, our findings on the occurrence of plants in graveyards reflect the geographic situation of Israel as a crossroads in the cultural arena between Asia and Europe. Most of the trees and shrubs that are planted in Muslim cemeteries in Israel have the same use in ancient as well in modern European cultures. The use of white flowers as cemeteries plants reflects an old European influence and almost the same species are used or their congeners. The rosemary is of European origin while the use of basil is of Indian influence. fruticosa as the main plant used in all human rites of passage symbolizing the human life cycle. and Pancratium spp.) and Cupressus sempervirens as the leading cemetery tree.Īs endemic use we can indicate the essential role of S. Three groups of plants were found to be repeated systematically and were also recognized for their ritual importance: aromatics herbs (especially Salvia fruticosa and Rosmarinus officinalis), white flowered plants (mainly Narcissus tazetta, Urginea maritima, Iris spp. ![]() This article surveys the botanical composition of 40 Muslim graveyards in northern Israel, accompanied by an ethnobotanical study of the folkloristic traditions of the use of these plants in cemeteries. ![]()
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