【龙腾网】10种曾一度被认为有魔力的主要食物
10 Basic Foods That Were Once Believed To Be Magic
10种曾一度被认为有魔力的主要食物
HALSEY IRIS SEPTEMBER 3, 2018
Food is where we get the nutrients to fuel our bodies. We create and preserve intimate social relationships by breaking bread, and we often heal different ailments through our diets. In the developed world, we have shopping centers filled with all types of foods, and we mostly partake without a thought about the history of what we’re eating.But thousands of years ago in some of the earliest civilizations on the planet, these basic foods were believed to be a sort of magic. At one time, they were worshiped and revered. Besides being used to heal specific physical and emotional conditions, certain foods were believed to bring loved ones back from the dead, protect people from evil, and more.
我们通过食物获取营养，它可以为我们的身体提供能量。 我们通过掰面包来创造和保持亲密的社会关系，我们经常通过饮食来治疗不同的疾病。 在发达国家，我们充斥着各种各样食物的购物中心，而且我们大多数时候都没有思考过我们吃什么的历史，但是几千年前，在地球上最早的文明中，这些基本的食物被认为是一种魔法，一度受到人们的崇拜和尊敬，除了用来治疗特定的身体、情感状况，某些食物被认为可以让所爱的人起死回生，保护人们远离邪恶，等等。
10 Amaranth
We are probably all familiar with ancient grains. Whether we incorporate quinoa into our daily diets or see different varieties gracing the feeds of Instagram in the all-too-trendy smoothie bowls, we could each name a few if we had to.But one ancient grain was thought to provide supernatural powers by the Aztecs over 500 years ago. Not only was it a major component of their diets, but it played a vital role in their religious practices.Using honey and sometimes blood from human sacrifices, the Aztecs would often make a paste from the grains and use it to create statues of their gods. During ceremonies of worship, the statues would be broken into parts and passed out to members of the tribe for consumption. Supposedly, this paste was also used to create shields, bows, and arrows to give to newborn boys to symbolize their manly duties later in life. When the Spanish invaded in 1519, the cultivation of this grain was forbidden along with the Aztecs’ religion. This was a way of forcing Christianity onto the civilization, and anyone who did not abide by the rules was punished severely.[1]
10、苋属植物
一种我们可能都熟悉古老的作物，无论我们是否将藜麦纳入日常饮食中，还是看到 Instagram上的不同品种的苋属植物加入到非常时尚冰沙碗中，如果有必要的话，我们每个人都可以说出几个例子，但500多年前，阿兹台克人认为一种古老的食物有超自然的力量，这不仅是他们饮食的一个重要组成部分，而且在他们的宗教活动中也扮演着重要的角色。阿兹特克人经常蜂蜜，有时甚至用人类祭祀所得的鲜血，将其做成糊状物，用它来制作他们的神的雕像。在祭祀仪式中，雕像会被分割成几个部分，然后分给部落成员食用。据说，这种糊状物也被用来制造盾牌、弓箭，送给新生的男孩，以象征他们以后的男子汉的职责。1519年西班牙入侵时，苋属植物的种植与阿兹台克人的宗教一样被禁止，这是迫使他们以基督教的教化进入文明社会的一种方式，任何不遵守规则的人都会受到严厉的惩罚。
9 Artichokes
Before we learned to dip these beauties in cheese sauce, artichokes were thought to have a variety of medicinal powers. We can find mention of artichokes as far back as Greek mythology.Cynara was a beautiful mortal girl whom Zeus came across during a trip to see his brother Poseidon. Zeus took her to Olympus and made her a goddess. Then in typical Zeus fashion, he became enraged when Cynara sneaked home for a weekend visit with her mother. He threw her off Olympus and turned her into an artichoke.Fast-forward to the first-century Romans, and they believed that parts of the artichoke could help to cure baldness and even aid with the conception of boys.Artichokes were also rumored to be an aphrodisiac. This gossip was given a lot of steam when the French queen, Catherine de Medici, was said to have consumed a great quantity of them. At this time, women were banned from eating artichokes.[2]
9、洋蓟
在我们学会用奶酪酱蘸酱之前，人们认为洋蓟具有多种药用功效。我们可以在古希腊神话中找到洋蓟，辛娜拉是一个美丽的凡人女孩，宙斯在一次去见弟弟波塞冬的旅途中偶然遇到了她，宙斯把她带到了奥林匹斯山，把她变成了女神。然后是一个典型的宙斯风格的故事，辛娜拉偷偷摸摸回家去找她的母亲，他很愤怒，他把她扔出奥林巴斯，把她变成了一棵洋蓟。
快进到公元一世纪的罗马，他们相信洋蓟的一部分可以帮助治疗秃顶，甚至有助于男性功能，还有传言说，洋蓟也是一种春药，法国女王凯瑟琳·德·美第奇食用了大量洋蓟，外界出现了流言蜚语，这种流言蜚语给其造成很大的压力，在那个时代，妇女被禁止食用洋蓟。
8 Chives
Today, we know that chives are native to certain areas of Asia, Europe, and North America. However, there are at least two different stories about their first appearance in Europe and how they were once believed to be magic.In one version, chives first appeared in Europe in the 13th century when Marco Polo brought them over from China. From there, the British created a tradition that hanging chives from the rafters and above doorways would provide protection against evil spirits. However, a conflicting story says that chives were in Europe before Marco Polo. In this version, the ancient Romans used chives in their diets because they believed that the plant’s strong taste would bring greater strength. Racehorses, workers, and wrestlers ate chives regularly to enhance their strength. Chives were also a Roman remedy for sore throats and sunburns.[3]
8、韭菜
今天，我们知道韭菜原产于亚洲、欧洲和北美的某些地区。然而，至少有两种不同的说法，讲述了韭菜是如何首次出现在欧洲，以及它们曾经被认为是有魔力的，其中一种版本是13世纪马可波罗从中国把韭菜带到欧洲时首次出现在欧洲。从那时起，英国人创造了一种传统，那就是把韭菜挂在房顶和门廊上，以保护人们不受邪灵的侵害。然而，一个相互矛盾的故事说，韭菜在马可波罗之前在欧洲，在这个版本中，古罗马人在他们的饮食中使用韭菜，因为他们相信这种植物的强烈味道会带来更大的力量，赛马者，工人和摔跤手经常吃韭菜，以增强他们的力量，韭菜也是罗马人治喉咙痛和晒伤的良药。
7 Cucumbers
Today, one of the most notable varieties of this refreshing vegetable is the English cucumber. However, they actually originated in India and have been grown for approximately 3,000 years.One of the most unexpected uses of cucumbers goes all the way back to the Roman Empire. According to Pliny the Elder, these vegetables were used to promote fertility. Women would wear them around their waists, and midwives would carry them around and then dispose of them once a child was born.[4]In ancient Rome, cucumbers were also used to scare away mice, cure bad eyesight, and soothe scorpion bites.
7、黄瓜
今天，这种令人耳目一新的蔬菜最著名的品种之一是英国黄瓜（ English cucumber），然而，黄瓜实际上起源于印度，已经种植了大约3000年。黄瓜最意想不到的用途之一可以追溯到罗马帝国时期，根据老普林尼的说法，这种蔬菜是用来提高生育力的，妇女会把它们戴在腰间，助产士会随身携带，然后在孩子出生后处理掉，在古罗马，黄瓜也被用来吓跑老鼠、治疗视力不良和缓解蝎子叮咬症状。
6 Onions
This seemingly ordinary piece of produce was once anything but. Long before onions were bringing us to tears, they were objects of worship. In fact, onions are found throughout historical Egyptian art in a variety of shapes and sizes. These vegetables are painted into scenes of pyramids and the altars of certain gods.The Egyptians related onions to eternal life due to their concentric layers and would bury their pharaohs with them. Onions have also been found in various body parts of mummies, such as the thorax and the pelvis.So, why was the onion such a revered food to the Egyptians, especially when exploring the theme of death?According to experts, it was a common belief that these beautiful bulbs could bring breath back to the deceased. Others say that the antiseptic properties may have been thought to be magical and therefore useful in the afterlife.[5]
6、洋葱
这种看似普通的食物曾经可是绝不平凡。早在洋葱让我们流泪之前，它们就是祭祀的对象。事实上，在埃及的历史艺术中，洋葱的形状和大小各不相同，这些蔬菜被描绘进金字塔和某些神的祭坛的场景，埃及人将洋葱与永生联系在一起，因为它们有着同心的层次，并将他们的法老与他们葬在一起，在木乃伊的不同部位，比如胸部和骨盆，也发现了洋葱。那么，为什么洋葱对埃及人来说是一种受人尊敬的食物，尤其是在探索死亡主题的时候？根据专家们的说法，人们普遍认为，这些美丽的球茎食物可以为死者带来呼吸，还有人说，其防腐能力可能被认为是魔力的，因此在来世是有用的。
5 Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away—or so “they” say.The belief that apples can cure all diseases or at least keep you healthier has been around for centuries. In fact, it is a common thread connecting multiple cultures.But the apple is more than just a healer; it is a symbol that appears in folklore all the way back to Greek mythology. According to Irish folklore, heroes would eat apples to stay young and strong. In historical Chinese culture, the apple was given as a gift of peace.[6]The apple also represents love. The Balkans believed that when a woman accepted an apple from a man, she was engaged to him. In some Italian cultures, when a man was in love with a woman, he would present her with an apple to show and solidify his affection for her.
5、苹果
一日一苹果，医生远离我——至少“ 他们”是这么说的。几个世纪以来，人们一直认为苹果可以治愈所有疾病，或者至少能让你更健康。事实上，它是连接多种文化的共同线索，但苹果不仅仅是一个治疗者，它更是一种象征，它一直出现在民间传说中，希腊神话里，根据爱尔兰民间传说，英雄们会吃苹果来保持年轻和强壮。
在中国历史文化中，苹果是被赋予了和平涵义的礼物，苹果也代表着爱，巴尔干人相信，当一个女人接受了一个男人的苹果，她就和他订婚了。在一些意大利文化中，当一个男人爱上一个女人，他会给她一个苹果，以表示和巩固他对她的爱。
4 Corn
Today, corn is used for more than we even realize. Whether it is the buttery, fluffy movie snack or feed for countless types of livestock, corn is everywhere.To the Aztecs, corn (or maize) was more than just a food source. They believed that the growth and harvest process was synced with the cycle of life: birth, regeneration, and death. They even had three female deities of maize to represent each cycle, and they were worshiped and thanked heavily throughout the cycle of the crop.The deity Xilonen, representing the first or earliest crop of the summer, was worshiped with an elaborate festival. A young female slave was made to dress up as Xilonen during the eight days leading up to the festival. Men and women would dance, and the people were fed maize-focused foods.On the last night of celebrations, the Xilonen impersonator was sacrificed as a way to show gratitude to Mother Earth for the life-sustaining crop and to ensure that the cycle of crops and life would keep coexisting harmoniously.[7]
4、玉米
今天，玉米的用途比我们意识到的还要多。无论是黄油，松软的电影小吃，还是无数种牲畜的饲料，玉米随处可见。对阿兹台克人来说，玉米不仅仅是一种食物来源，他们认为，其生长和收获过程与生命周期同步：出生，再生和死亡。他们甚至有三位女性的玉米神来代表每一个周期，并且在整个作物周期中都受到大量的崇拜和感谢。代表第一个或最早的夏季作物的神西罗宁，西洛宁神有一个精心安排的祭拜节日来，在节日前的八天里，一个年轻的女奴打扮成西洛宁，男人和女人跳舞，人们吃以玉米为主的食物，在庆祝活动的最后一晚，西洛宁的模仿者将牺牲，以表达对地球母亲的感激之情，感谢地球母亲提供了维持生命的作物，并确保作物和生命的循环将保持和谐共存。
3 Dill
Dill is another herb that is plentiful in gardens today. However, before dill was a welcomed weed, it was thought in old folklore to bring people both love and happiness. Specifically, in Germany and Belgium, sprigs of dill would be attached to the bride’s dress or floral bouquet to bring the new couple blessings on their marriage.Dill also has a grim side in mythology and old beliefs. European monks believed that dill could cause infertility and had the power to drive away male demons with an appetite for sexually preying on women. Dill did find its place in witchcraft, too. Ironically, it had two uses, one on each of the extreme ends of the spectrum. Many believed that drinking a glass of dill water could reverse the effects of a spell cast on you and hanging sprigs around a home could protect from any impending spells. But others believed that witches used dill in their potions and while casting spells.[8]
3、莳萝（洋茴香）
莳萝草是今天花园里盛行的一种草本植物。然而，在莳萝还没有成为一种受欢迎的作物之前，古老的民间传说认为它能给人们带来爱和幸福。特别是在德国和比利时，新娘的婚纱或花束上会插上小枝莳萝，给新婚夫妇带来祝福。莳萝在神话和旧信仰中也有阴郁的一面，欧洲的僧侣们认为，莳萝会导致不孕不育，并有能力驱赶那些对女性饥渴的男性恶魔，莳萝也在巫术中有一席之地。具有讽刺意味的是，它有两种用途，用处极端相反，许多人相信，喝一杯莳萝水可以逆转施在你身上的咒语的影响，而在家里悬挂莳萝枝条可以保护你免受即将到来的咒语的伤害，但另一些人相信女巫在他们的药水中和施放咒语时使用了莳萝。
2 Figs
Figs appear as far back as the Bible and were considered to be highly spiritual. However, it isn’t just this beautiful fruit itself that is used for spiritual and magical purposes. The Kikuyu women in Africa took the sap from fig trees and spread it on themselves to increase fertility.[9]But not every belief surrounding the fig is as wonderful and welcomed as fertility. In Bolivia, people thought that evil spirits stayed in the canopies of fig trees and that walking under a fig tree could cause grave illness. In Papua New Guinea, figs are feared because they are believed to be haunted by evil spirits that will be released when the fruit is opened.
2、无花果
无花果出现在很久以前的圣经里，并被认为是高度精神化的，然而，这种美丽的水果本身不仅被用于精神和魔法的目的，非洲的基库尤妇女从无花果树上取下树液，在自己身上涂上，以增加生育力。但也并不是所有围绕无花果的信仰都这样美妙和受欢迎，在玻利维亚，人们认为邪恶的灵魂停留在无花果树的树冠上，走在无花果树下可能会导致严重的疾病。在巴布亚新几内亚，人们害怕无花果，因为人们相信，无花果会被邪恶的鬼魂所困扰，当果实被打开时，它们就会被释放出来。
1 Poppy Seeds
Today, poppy seeds are famous in baked goods. Many are also aware of the relationship between poppy seeds and opium. But the magical history of the poppy seed predates what is common knowledge to us in the Western world. In ancient Greece, the poppy was representative of Hypnos, the god of sleep, and so it was thought to aid sleep. Hypnos was believed to bring about dreams of a prophetic nature while also soothing emotional trauma. While this sounds all warm and fuzzy, the poppy seed was also believed to be associated with Hades, representing an eternal sleep or death. In the Middle Ages, poppy cake was used by young women to determine the direction from which their one true love would come. A young woman would throw a piece of poppy cake out the door and have a dog fetch it. The direction from which the dog returned would be the same as that from which her true love would appear.[10]Poppy seeds also played contradictory roles in fertility. For example, poppy seeds put in the bottom of a bride’s shoe would result in infertility. Alternatively, eating sweetbreads made with poppy seeds on New Year’s Eve was believed to aid in abundance for the year to come.
1、罂粟籽
今天，罂粟籽是著名的烘焙食品，许多人还认识到罂粟籽与鸦片之间的关系。但是，罂粟籽的神奇历史早于我们西方世界的常识，在古希腊，罂粟是睡眠之神许普诺斯的象征，因此人们认为它有助于睡眠。许普诺斯被认为能带来预言性的梦境，同时也能抚慰情感创伤，虽然这听起来很温暖和模糊，但罂粟籽也被认为与哈迪斯有关，代表着永恒的睡眠或死亡。在中世纪，年轻女性用罂粟蛋糕来决定她们的真爱从何而来，一个年轻的女人会把一块罂粟蛋糕扔出门外，然后让一只狗去取，狗返回的方向将与她的真爱出现的方向相同。罂粟籽在生育方面也起着相互矛盾的作用，例如，放在新娘鞋底的罂粟籽会导致不孕不育，而另一方面，人们认为在新年前夜吃罂粟籽做成的甜食可以帮助我们在来年里获得更多的收获。
