Sacred Tree Research Articles

Perspective of Jainism on the Socio-Cultural and Environmental Values of Sacred Trees

Perspective of Jainism on the Socio-Cultural and Environmental Values of Sacred Trees

Popularity, Distribution and Conservation Status of Sacred and Medicinal Indigenous Trees in Chemosot, Kericho County, Kenya

Popularity, Distribution and Conservation Status of Sacred and Medicinal Indigenous Trees in Chemosot, Kericho County, Kenya

The Tree-Clan-Individual Concept in Traditional Khakas Culture (Late 19th to Mid-20th Century)

On the basis of ethnographic, folk, and linguistic materials, most of them newly-introduced, the “tree-clan- individual” concept in the Khakas culture is reconstructed and analyzed. The status and image of the tree in their traditional mythological and ritualistic system is assessed. Notions of man and his environment were related to anthropomorphic reasoning, by which natural objects, such as trees, were endowed with human attributes. In their religious-mythological views the tree was identified with a person, with the crown of the tree being the head, the trunk being the body, branches as being arms, sap as being blood, etc. Trees were believed to be either male or female. In the traditional consciousness, human life scenarios were closely paralleled to those of trees. The vegetative code was used to refer to various psychophysical, mental, and other human phenomena. Social norms included special rules in dealing with trees, used in logging. In essence, a tree had to be dealt with like a humanlike being. In mythological thinking, felling a tree was to some degree tantamount to murder. Souls of specific individuals or groups were likewise associated with trees, so each Khakas seok (clan) had a sacred tree. It was an integral part of the burial rite. The tree, then, was a key element in the ideological structure, having a broad semiotic field.

Centaurs and the Sacred Tree

Abstract Zechariah 4:12 has been perplexing exegetes and scholars throughout the ages, hampering efforts to explain the message of the lampstand vision in Zech 4 as a whole. The current paper will suggest a path towards a solution by showing that the hapax legomenon צנתרות in this verse means “centaurs.” This claim, which found little support in research so far, reaches its full persuasive power by a deep linguistic, exegetical, and cultural-comparative analysis. Namely, it will be argued that phonetically *צנתר fully accords with κένταυρος if the palatalization /k/ > [t͡s] is assumed, and when Jerome’s overlooked reading sinthoroth is considered. This interpretation is further supported by iconographic data which has so far escaped the scholarly discussion of this verse. As it demonstrates, Zech 4 is based on the Sacred Tree motif iconography, in which hybrid entities are only expected.

Sacred Trees in Hindu Temples of Theni District, Tamil Nadu: A Perspective of Ethnomedicinal uses and Conservation Study

Tamil Nadu reflects the rich heritage of Hindu temples and historical sites with a long legacy. People worship and revere trees in every temple with most devotion. The Reverence to the trees in temples is practiced across the world and is well established from pre-historic periods in India (Bharat). Sthala-vriksha (Sacred Tree) is the tree which is significant and unique in most of the temples in India. In the present study, ethnomedicinal survey of sacred trees was carried out in the Theni District of Tamil Nadu with the support of a standardized questionnaire. No detailed study has been conducted on sacred tree practices and its role in Theni district. Therefore, Ethnomedicinal uses and other related information about sacred trees occurring in the 18 temples of Theni district have been documented in the present study in the year 2023. The result has revealed the occurrence of 13 plant species in the 18 temples. Most of the temples are maintained by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment department of Tamil Nadu Government while very few are maintained by local villagers. Aegle marmelos (L.) was the most frequently recorded sacred tree (n=5) in the present study. Species were accurately identified and authenticated, and specimens were preserved for further use. The study suggests certain recommendations for protecting the sacred trees maintained in the temples.

Do generational differences determine the conservation intention and behavior towards sacred trees?

Conserving sacred trees is of paramount importance for preserving biodiversity and safeguarding biocultural heritage. However, evolving perceptions across generations raise concerns about the future existence of these significant landscape elements. The objective of this study is to examine the factors influencing the intention and behavior of two generations towards sacred tree conservation. In this research, we integrate "cultural values" and "religious values" as new variables into an extended theory of planned behavior. A questionnaire survey was conducted, involving 399 individuals representing both young and old generations. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis. The research variables explained 57 % and 60 % of the variance in intentions and 7 % and 81 % of the variance in actual behaviors for the young and old generations, respectively. Attitude was found to be crucial in shaping intentions for both generations. Subjective norms significantly influenced the intentions of the older generation but were not observed among the younger generation. Perceived behavioral control had a positive impact on intentions in both age groups, although its effect on actual behavior varied. While it translated into conservation behavior among the older generation, it did not have the same effect on the younger generation. Furthermore, cultural and religious values positively influenced intentions in both generations, but their impact on behavior differed. While these values influenced the behavior of the older generation, they did not translate into actual conservation practices among the younger generation. These findings emphasize the interplay of generational differences, cultural values, and religious values in shaping conservation intentions and behaviors.Given the crucial role of the younger generation in the future of sacred trees, targeted conservation initiatives addressing their specific needs are essential, as they exhibit lower intentions and behaviors towards conservation. This study provides valuable insights for designing effective strategies for the sustainable conservation of sacred trees and the fostering of biocultural heritage.

Louise Fowler-Smith, <i>Sacred Trees of India: Adornment and Adoration as an Alternative to the Commodification of Nature</i>

Louise Fowler-Smith, Sacred Trees of India: Adornment and Adoration as an Alternative to the Commodification of Nature (Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2022), 320 pp., £77.99 (cloth), ISBN: 978-1-5275-8833-2

The Precious Potential of the Sacred Tree Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. as a Source of Secondary Metabolites with Broad Biological Applications.

Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl., which belongs to the Cupressaceae family, occurs naturally in North America and Asia, especially in Korea, Taiwan and Japan, where it is an evergreen, coniferous, sacred, ethnic tree. It has many useful varieties that are widespread throughout the world and grown for decorative purposes. It is most commonly used as an ornamental plant in homes, gardens or parks. It is also widely used in many areas of the economy; for example, its wood is used in architecture as well as furniture production. In addition, oil extracted from Chamaecyparis obtusa is increasingly used in cosmetology for skin care. Due to its wide economic demand, mainly in Japan, it represents the largest area of plantation forest. Despite this, it is on the red list of endangered species. Its use in ethnopharmacology has led to more and more research in recent years in an attempt to elucidate the potential mechanisms of its various biological activities, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, analgesic and central nervous system effects. It has also been shown that Chamaecyparis obtusa can be used as an insect repellent and an ingredient in plant disease treatment. This thesis provides a comprehensive review of the biological studies to date, looking at different areas of the economic fields of potential use of Chamaecyparis obtusa.

Expression of Ecological Consciousness of the Indigenous Peoples of the North in the Works by N. Kalitin (<i>Tommoo, Thunder Bursts</i>)

Purpose. The article is devoted to the key aspects of expressing ecological consciousness of the indigenous peoples of the North in novels Tommoo and Thunder Bursts by Nikolai Kalitin, who raises the problem of damaging hunting grounds and rivers during the technological development of the North.Results. The key aspects of the ecological consciousness of Evenks and Yakuts are revealed in novels Tommoo and Thunder bursts. The ecological consciousness is based on a careful attitude to nature, and awareness of inseparable unity with it: perception of nature as the mother of all things and understanding of kinship with it; animateness of all objects and phenomena revealed through the presence of spirits of nature and mythological deities; man's understanding of himself as a creation of nature; the presence of a sacred tree as a symbol of the world structure, the personification of the unfading fertility of the earth.Conclusion. The key to solving the problem of further survival and wealth of indigenous peoples of the North is believed to be the search for a balance between the technological development of society and the preservation of ecology, rational use of natural resources for continuation of traditional activities, based on ethnic culture with rational simplification of labor.

The Images of Sacred Trees in Ancient Egyptian Fairy Tales

The paper examines the semantics of trees described in the ancient Egyptian fairy tales “Tale of Two Brothers” and in the “Story of Sinuhe”. The purpose of the study is to identify the semantics of trees in these fairy tales, their relationship with the religious ideas of the Egyptians and specifies of ideas about the calendar cycle displayed in these texts. The author traces literary parallels between the images of fairy-tale trees and the motifs of the “Book of the Dead”, which tells about the posthumous life of the soul of the deceased in the Netherworld. The study reveals that in the “Tale of Two Brothers”, the cedar and two persea trees are correlated with the Osiris and solar cults. The persea trees represent the rays of the sun, Osiris and the deceased as the blessed spirit Akh. The cedar inflorescence located at the top of the tree is also associated with the image of the sun. It was found that in this fairy tale, the description of tree life and the hero’s repeated birth reflect the change of calendar cycles from the flood season to the harvest season, from the period of visibility of celestial bodies and plants to the period of their invisibility. The sycamore, mentioned in the “Story of Sinuhe”, is the sacred tree of Hathor, Isis and Nut and appears as a symbol of the heaven with which these goddesses were associated.

The Religious Theme in the Work of Grigory Gurkin

The article explores the religious theme in the works of Grigory Ivanovich Gurkin (1870–1937), the first professional artist of the Altai Mountains. A talented master of landscape, a pupil of Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin, Gurkin became widely known after his first solo exhibition in Tomsk in 1907. During the February Revolution he was elected chairman of the Altai Mountain Duma, for which he was politically persecuted by the Bolsheviks and had to hide in Mongolia and Tuva from 1919 to 1925. Homesickness forced Gurkin to return to the Altai Mountains, but he remained politically unreliable for the Soviet authorities, and in 1937 he was shot by the NKVD. After his rehabilitation in 1956, Gurkin’s life and work became the subject of many studies, and after the establishment of the Altai Republic in 1992, Gurkin became a figure-symbol of national and cultural identity. In the conditions of reconstruction of Burkhanist and shamanistic practices in the Republic, it is relevant to study Gurkin’s pictorial and graphic works depicting religious beliefs that existed in the Altai Mountains in the late 19th — early 20th centuries. As a result of culturological and semiotic analysis, the interpretation of the artist’s works on religious themes is supplemented. The first painting on the theme of shamanism “Sacrificial Night” or “Kamlanie” (1895) revealed profane and sacred elements: the peculiarities of the material culture of the Kumandins and the theme of the sacred tree, the mirror-like surface of water and the symbolic unity of the worlds of the shamanic universe. From this work, reality in Gurkin’s painting and graphics is supplemented by mythological representations. In the painting “The First Ray of Christianity in Altai” Gurkin combined Orthodox and pagan pictures of the world to show the contradictory nature of the Christianisation process. Chet Chelpanov’s portrait contains a psychological characterisation of the leader of Burkhanism, and Gurkin’s detailed comments help to determine the time of the emergence of new phenomena in the religious culture of the Altai Mountains.

SAN BARBATO DI BENEVENTO, “L’APOSTOLO DEL SANNIO”, UCCISORE DI VIPERE D’ORO ED ESTIRPATORE DI ALBERI SACRI

St. Barbato of Benevento, “the Apostle of Sannio”, gol den snakes’ killer and holy trees eradicator. This contribution analyzes the events relating to the work of San Barbato di Benevento. Nicknamed “Apostle of Sannio”, he was the protagonist of the Christian conversion of the southern Italian city of which he became the first bishop. We move from the analysis of the Lombard pagan traditions permeated in the territory, from the sacred tree to the golden viper, from magical rituals to the tradition (even contemporary) of the Beneventan witches, to delve deeper and analyze the elements of Christian tradition in Sannio. Through the study of episcopal charters, hagiographic traditions and archival do cuments, the history of the diocese passes from the late ancient age to the medieval phase, reaching the modern age. The contribution ends with an ‘appendix’ on the Cathedral of Benevento, a place of worship whose foundation has been attributed to Barbato himself.

Ethnomedicinal properties of Bael Aegle marmelos Corrêa family Rutaceae: A review

Bael or Aegle marmelos Corrêa is considered a sacred tree by Hindus and is offered to Lord Shiva while worshipping. It grows in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia and is called by various names in different regions. Bael has been used as a traditional medicine in India and other Southeast Asian countries to treat various ailments, including diarrhea, chronic dysentery, constipation, gonorrhea, catarrh, diabetes, deafness, inflammations, ulcerated intestinal mucosa, intermittent fever, melancholia, heart palpitation, and also to control fertility. The ethnomedicinal properties of Bael are owing to its ability to synthesize alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, anthocyanins, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, terpenoids, tannins, lignins, quinones, coumarins, proteins, carbohydrates, amino acids, reducing sugars, fats, and oils. The aegeline, auroptene, umbelliferone, psoralene, marmin, imperatorin, xylorhamnoarabinogalactan I pectic polysaccharide and skimmianine are synthesized by different parts of Bael, and they have shown antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-allergic, anthelmintic, antidiabetic, anticancer, cardioprotective and neuroprotective activities in various experimental models. The present review has been written consulting various publications, and different websites including Google Scholar, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and Google.

A Review on Ficus Religiosa L

Herbal medicine has been used for centuries and is considered one of the oldest and most valuable gifts to mankind. In India, herbs have always been the primary form of medicine. Medicinal plants contain complex chemical substances, known as secondary plant metabolites, which have curative properties. Among these plants, Ficus religiosa, also known as the sacred fig, Bodhi tree, Peepal in Sanskrit, is highly regarded in the field of medicine. It is a sacred tree worshipped by Hindus and is found all over India. Its different parts, including the bark, fruits, leaves, seeds, and latex, have been used in traditional medicine, such as ayurveda, siddha, Unani, and Homeopathy, to treat various ailments, including diabetes, Diarrhoea, epilepsy, inflammatory disorders, gastric problems, sexual and infectious disorders. Recent studies have highlighted its diverse chemical structure and reported its efficacy in relieving multiple disorders. This paper provides an overview of its phytochemical and pharmacological properties.

고구려의 <주몽> 서사시와 야쿠트족의 <에르 소고토흐> 서사시 비교연구

The Korean people and the Yakut people have many cultural commonalities, including shamanism, the idea of a heavenly god, sun worship, archery culture, and the belief in the crow as the messenger of God. These commonalities are also fused in the myths or epics of the heroes (national founders or founding founders) of the two peoples. In the founding or national origin myth (or epic), which explains how the progenitor of a nation or tribe (or nation) was born and formed a nation or tribe, the nation's worldview is strongly expressed, and along with it, historicity and literary value can be discovered.
 In this paper, through a study of Goguryeo's <Jumong> epic and the Yakut people's <Er Sogotokh> epic, we examine not only the worldviews of the two peoples, but also similarities and differences between the two myths by comparing and analyzing what elements are used to express the divinity of the hero, what thoughts they have about the origins of their peoples, and how the heroic feats of the protagonist are reproduced. Based on this, I think we can understand the characteristics of the nation.
 The two stories indicate a high degree of similarity in structure, with the following structure: birth-growth-deficiency-departure-trials, overcoming -arrival-fight, and victory-achievement-after-story. And the two heroes are similar in that they are both descendants of heavenly gods, have mysterious anecdotes related to their birth, and possess extraordinary archery skills. However, while the <Er Sogotoch> epic has a story structure that focuses on the protagonist defeating the antagonist, getting married, and starting a family; the <Jumong> epic focuses on the protagonist defeating the antagonist and securing territory to establish a nation. This seems to be due to the difference between the folk tale about the founder of a nation and the founder of a country. In addition, the Yakutian worldview is well illustrated in <Er Sogotoch>, where the protagonist and antagonist freely move between the heavenly world, the middle (terrestrial) world, and the lower world. It shows that these worlds are not disconnected and independent from each other, but are organically connected, and thus a complete world is formed. In contrast, <Jumong> shows communication with the gods by asking for help from heavenly gods and gods of river, but the connection between humans and gods is weakened in that the protagonist cannot move to the world of the gods. In addition, <Er Sogotoch> shows that the role of a sacred tree that tells the secret of birth, the water of life gifted by the sacred tree, and a horse with mysterious abilities appear as important elements in composing the story, indicating that the mythical concept is more strongly reflected than <Jumong>.
 This denotes that the epic <Er Sogotoch> was formed earlier than the epic <Jumong>. It is impossible to reveal the internalized unconscious form and culture of the two peoples through comparative analysis of only two hero narratives and has clear limitations. In the future, we hope that these limitations will be overcome through more extensive research of the heroic epics, legends, and myths of northern peoples.

Discussion about Sun Worship from Sanxingdui Bronze Sacred Tree

Based on the relationship between Sanxingdui bronze sacred tree and sun worship, this paper explores the relationship between sun worship and bird worship, and interprets the origin of ancient ancestors' original belief. This paper expounds the author's thoughts and opinions on the significance of archaeology by analyzing the ancient human belief in archaeological discoveries.

Saraca asoca: From Traditional Herb to Modern Drug as a Cure for Various Diseases

Background: Saraca asoca (Ashoka, family; Caesalpiniaceae) is an indigenous sacred tree, native to India. It has been used in various traditional medicinal systems and is one such plant that is highly therapeutic but its use in disease management is underrated in today’s era and has lost its importance. Objective: This narrative review is written to provide the information on medicinal importance of S. asoca and the significance of S. asoca in various traditional medicinal systems. Methods: Different databases were searched to gather information. Research articles, abstracts, and reviews are included in this review. Results: Saraca asoca is known for its unique pharmacological role in treating various uterine complications, menstrual disorders, and bacterial infections, bleeding hemorrhoids, urinary and dermatological problems. The stem bark of the tree is the principal constituent for treating menorrhagia and genito-urinary disorders. The stem bark, leaves, and seeds of S. asoca are known to contain flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, polyphenolics, fatty acids, and saponins. The reported major phytoconstituents responsible for its therapeutic uses are epicatechin, procyanidin B2, lyoniside, nudiposide, catechin, leucocyanidin, and leucopelargonidin. Various pharmacological activities of this plant are discussed in this review. Conclusion: It has been proved that Saraca asoca possesses several pharmacological properties and is useful in treating various diseases. More studies on quality control, standardization, and clinical trials on S. asoca should be performed, so that this plant could be utilized as an effective anti-cancer drug which could be a promising source for the herbal and pharmaceutical industry.

Olivier ou palmier ?

Abstract The oldest Greek sources narrate how Leto at the time of childbirth held on to a palm tree on the island of Delos to help herself with the effort of contractions. Under this palm tree, the god Apollo was born, making it an element of sacred worship of which the ancients said that it never died. Despite the clarity of the sources in the plant identification from the 5th century BC onwards, we can observe an attempt to appropriate the sacred tree of Leto’s childbirth that is made manifest through written and visual sources. Thus, the olive tree or the image of Athena began to appear as protagonists of the myth. They began to oversee the birth of the god Apollo. This iconographic manipulation had a single purpose: to justify, through religion, the economic and political control of a key commercial centre in the Greek world.

The image of the grove as a means of expressing the author 's axiological concept in the lyrics of Z. Dudina

This research is connected with the analytical consideration of the system of poetic images of a natural philosophical orientation in modern Mari philosophical lyrics. The aim of the work is to identify the ethnocentric semantic components of the mythopoetic image of the grove in the lyrics of Zoya Dudina and the ways of their artistic embodiment. The research material was the poems included in her collection "Kuanyshym, kuem ӧndal ..." (She was delighted, hugging a birch ...) (2012). The methodology of the research is determined by the structural and semantic analysis of lyrical texts, which allows to identify and describe the main structural components of the poetic image, as well as to understand their interrelationships and semantic organization at the level of the author's axiology. In the article, the author of the study proved that in the lyrics of the Mari poet Zoya Dudina, the multifaceted image of the Mari grove is recreated. In particular, it is presented as part of the divine world, often concretized and given in the form of a sacred tree. The central place in the image of the grove is assigned by the author to the ethnically significant and sacred content and mythopoetics, which does not limit him in the expression of individual creative aspirations, in the assertion of universal values. The grove for the lyrical heroine Zoya Dudina is a symbol of hope, spiritual and moral support, salvation of the soul, as well as the preservation of the Mari people.

The Function of Folklore Concepts in the Novels of S. Raev «Zhanzhaza» and T. Nurmaganbetov «Death of Angels»

The article examines the features of the use of folklore motifs and images that served as an artistic method in depicting the manifestations of post-collonization in Kazakh-Kyrgyz literature written in the period after independence. Scientific evidence of the negative impact of colonization by Russia on the culture and political and social status, traditions, religious customs of the peoples of Central Asia was presented, a study was conducted in the literary aspect. It was found that the writers used such motives as a curse, a crow, a snake, a ghost, a witch, retribution, snake fascination, resistance to God, the search for Holy Land, mourning for a sacred tree, in search of solutions to pressing problems of society, in order to idealize the protagonist. A comparative typological analysis of the meaning and allegorical character of the symbolism of the snake in the novels of the Kyrgyz writer Sultan Raev «Zhanzhaza» and the Kazakh writer Tynymbai Nurmaganbetov «Death of Angels» was also carried out. The work «Zhanzhaza» analyzes as some elements of spiritual censorship prohibiting humanity, the ban on reading the Bible to patients in a psychiatric hospital, godlessness expressed under the images of Lear and Alexander the Great, the activity of the plots of the cult of personality, in the work «Death of Angels» the personal intention and creative skill of the author, revealing the appearance of modernity in the form of fraud, are analyzed, deception, the troubles of society, going through a crisis, female inequality.