Magic and Materia Medica
Martha Rampton
This chapter looks at several aspects of healing, women, magic, and ritual. The herbal <italic>materia medica</italic> enshrines images female strength, both positive negative. On the one hand, entities are bellicose bringers disease, piercing human bodies like spears. other personified herbs such as Artemisia effectively combat disease bring comfort to those who sick, or weary, fearful. Female imagery is particularly evident in arcane cures. powerful “feminine” portrayed herbals not Carolingian writings, that doubtless because literature was never subjected Carolingians' comprehensive emendation texts might have brought line with orthodox thinking on nature medicine power cosmic feminine.
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