PLANTS IN MYTHOLOGY AND MEDICINE

Abstract

This work is dedicated to one of the most important elements in mythology and medicine – plants. The definition of the role of plants in mythology and medicine has become increasingly relevant in recent times due to research in the field of traditional culture, folk medicine, and ethnopharmacology. The special place of plants in mythology and medicine is evidenced by a large number of folklore texts that present a wide array of flora. The basic stages of myths and life are described using the same words that denote the stages of the vegetative cycle: birth, maturity, death. Plants are widely used in rituals related to birth, fertility, burial, and healing. Turning to the concept of plants in mythology and medicine, it should be noted that descriptions of the origin of the world and the treatment of diseases through plants have a long history. It is impossible not to mention totemism, which is permeated with the transformation of plants into anthropomorphic beings, the emergence of plants from humans or deities. In every mythology, there are several plants that accumulate the main content of many etiological and totemic myths. Plants used in folk medicine, i.e., plants used to make medicines, take on particular significance. Thus, the relevance of this work lies in the comprehensive analysis of plants in mythology and medicine. The main methods of this work are structural-functional in combination with comparative analysis. The aim of this work is to examine mythology and medicine in the context of vegetation, identify the circle of plants that hold special significance in mythology and medicine, explore their symbolism and main functions, determine the main perceptions of plants in mythology and folk medicine, study myths and medical practices in which plants play a significant role, highlight key aspects related to plants, and analyze the ways in which plants are used in rituals and folk medicine. The task of developing a complete and meaningful description of the phenomenon of plants in mythology and medicine cannot be addressed within the scope of a single work, but the systematization of existing data can serve as the basis for further research in this direction, which constitutes the practical significance of this work.