Cultus Arborum: A Descriptive Account of Phallic Tree Worship, with Illustrative Legends, Superstitions, Usages, &c., Exhibiting Its Origin and Development Amongst the Eastern & Western Nations of the World, from the Earliest to Modern Times; with a Bibliography of Works Upon and Referring to the Phallic Cultus |
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according adoration Æsir ages altars ancient anecdote Antiquities appear Argali ash tree Asoka Banian beautiful Bo branch Bo-Tree Bostam Brahma Bygas called celebrated century ceremonies consecrated custom cypress deity described divine Dodona Druids Durvá earth Eastern Egypt Egyptian favourite Feroüers festival Ficus fig tree fire flowers forest Forlong fruit goddess dwelling gods Greek groves heaven Herodotus Hindu History honour Hvergelmir idolatry idols India juniper Jupiter king leaves legend Lingam mentioned Mimir miracle monarch monuments mountain mysterious mythology nature Norns object observed Pagan palm tree paradise Persian Phallic plant Pliny priest priestesses Prose Edda rags Raktavija regarded religion religious reverence roots round sacred fig sacred tree salutation Sanghamitta Serpent Worship shade spirits spot stone superstition supposed symbol temple theri thero thousand Travels tree worship tribes trunk vase veneration virgins Vishnu Völuspá votaries votive offerings wood writers Xerxes Yggdrasill Zoroaster
Popular passages
Page 23 - ... bark, the young bark under it exhibits the indistinct outlines of characters in a germinating state, and, what is very singular, these new characters are not unfrequently different from those which they replace. We examined everything with the closest attention, in order to detect some trace of trickery, but we could discern nothing of the sort, and the perspiration absolutely trickled down our faces under the influence of the sensations which this most amazing spectacle created. More profound...
Page 86 - What is there remarkable in regard to that place ? " said Gangler. "That ash," answered Jafnhar, "is the greatest and best of all trees. Its branches spread over the whole world, and even reach above heaven. It has three roots very wide asunder. One of them extends to the...
Page 44 - Bogauhah; we, the god-tree. It is very great and spreading, the leaves always shake like an asp. They have a very great veneration for these trees, worshipping them, upon a tradition, that the Buddou, a great god among them, when he was upon the earth, did use to sit under this kind of trees.
Page 62 - The great cattle are watered at those fountains, and at a place where water distils from the leaves of a tree.
Page 63 - Til; which, together with the water of some fountains, and what is saved in the winter season, is sufficient to serve them and their flocks. This tree yields most water in those years when the Levant, or easterly winds, have prevailed for a continuance; for by these winds only, the clouds or mists are drawn hither from the sea. A person lives on the spot near which this tree grows, who is appointed by the Council to take care of it and its water, and is allowed a house to Kve in, with a certain salary.
Page 81 - Criminals were tried under an Oak tree, the judges being seated under the tree, and the culprit placed within a circle made by the chief Druid's wand. The Saxons also held their national meetings under an Oak ; and the celebrated conference between the Saxons and the Britons, after the invasion of the former, was held under the Oaks of Dartmoor. The wood of the Oak was appropriated to the most memorable uses. King Arthur's round table was made of it, as was the cradle of Edward...
Page 60 - Latona, as described by the poets, not only in this circumstance of their laying hold on a palm-tree (though some say Latona embraced an olive-tree, or an olive and a palm, or else two laurels), but also in that of their infants speaking, which Apollo is fabled to have done in the womb.
Page 86 - But under the root that stretches out towards the Frost-giants there is Mimir's well, in which wisdom and wit lie hidden. The owner of this well is called Mimir. He is full of wisdom, because he drinks the waters of the well from the horn Gjoll every morning. One day All-Father came and begged a draught of this water, which he obtained, but was obliged to leave one of his eyes as a pledge for it. As it is said in the <Voluspa"': — "< All know I, Odin!
Page 24 - The Tree of the Ten Thousand Images seemed to us of great age. Its trunk, which three men could scarcely embrace with outstretched arms, is not more than eight feet high; the branches, instead of shooting up, spread out in the shape of a plume of feathers, and are extremely bushy; few of them are dead. The leaves are always green, and the wood, which is of a reddish tint, has an exquisite odour, something like that of cinnamon. The Lamas informed us that in summer, towards the eighth moon, the tree...
Page 24 - Its trunk, which three men could scarcely embrace with outstretched arms, is not more than eight feet high ; the branches, instead of shooting up, spread out in the shape of a plume of feathers, and are extremely bushy ; few of them are dead. The leaves are always green, and the wood, which is of a reddish tint, has an exquisite odour, something like that of cinnamon. The Lamas informed us that in summer, towards the eighth moon, the tree produces large red flowers of an extremely beautiful character....