Coral is an amulet that rejects all "evil"

ByRobert Howie

In old days it was treated as a stone or jewelCoralHowever, as it goes back further, it seems that it was also used as an amulet, its originThe Recipes ProjectI am exploring.

The coral and the seal: an ancient amulet against all ills | The Recipes Project
https://recipes.hypotheses.org/7715

People who live in modern times know that coral (coral) is an invertebrate living in the sea. However, it was thought that corals were classified as animals in the 18 th century, and although they have a very unique shape before that, in general they are plants that become stone when exposed to air It was. In Greek coral is called "lithodendron", which is the word "stone plant". At that time many people considered corals as "stone plants", hence they seem to be treated as jewelry and power stone.

It is a poet who lived in ancient Roman Augustus eraOvidusThe coral reports that blood flowing from the head of Medusa cut by a hero, Perseus of Greek mythology was born in the sea. The coral thus born is said to have been scattered in the ocean all over the world by the sea spirit, which is also reported to the present as a coral legend of Greek mythology.

ByChris Brown

It is not certain whether this coral legend, "corals have birth created blood", was originally based, but then it became possible to think that corals have a hemostatic effect. An ancient Greek pharmacologist and also called "father of pharmacology and herbalism"Pedanius Dios ColidesIn his own book "medication magazine" "coral isHemoptysisIt works very effectively ". It is also a Greek medical doctor of the Roman EmpireGalengosIncludes a new kind of coral in prescription of medicine to use at the time of blood loss.

In addition, corals had characteristics to be noticed besides hemostasis. That property was "to keep teeth whiter". In the medical book written by Galen 's, it is written that it is better to use crushed red coral, pumice stone, bone skeleton, baked salt etc to treat teeth to whiten. "

ByRick & amp; Brenda Beerhorst

Speaking of coral, there are more interesting recipes. The recipe is listed in Greek and a collection of magical materials etc. was writtenCyranidesA book called. This is written how to make amulet made by wrapping coral with seal skin.

Speaking of seals, it is a mammal with four legs that inhabit the sea, but its skin has been decorated in houses and ships long ago. By decorating this it was thought that it will also be a natural disaster such as lightning, hurricane, hail, and amulets such as magic and ghosts. And this seals' skin is said to be good for amulet with coral or coral alone.

It is unknown why it was considered good to use seal skin and coral together, but both have been born from the ocean and have similarities that it is difficult to classify. For example, a seal is similar to a fish, but it is a quadrupedal animal, and corals are considered to be "like plants but actually stones".