Gothic Gardening: Theme Gardens

Growing your Grave Goods

Unlike the modern aphorism, 'You can't take it with you', most cultures around the world did a great deal to make the transition into the Afterworld comfortable for the being in question, which meant including objects in the grave which would travel with the person. These objects were often of a person nature, and would include stones, artifacts, minerals, shells, vessels, amulets, food, and drugs. The Neanderthals of Shanidar put flowers in graves 60,000 years ago. To help you with the selection of plant material that you would like included in your gravesite with you, here are plants that have traditionally been included in graves from cultures all around the world. Many of these plants have interesting properties, which makes them valuable while you're still alive, too.

Beans

Beans of some sort were part of belief systems just about everywhere in the world. They were considered guardians of life energy and food of the gods. Many beans have 'magical effects', and as such, had cults surrounding them, such as the mezcal bean. Other beans were used as death charms, such as jequirity, which was ground and then brushed across the threshold of a house. The person entering barefoot would then die. Bean fetish objects were often included in graves.

Cedar

This was used by the Egyptians for magical cosmetics and perfumes, incense, and to embalm mummies. It was also venerated by the Romans and the ancient Mesopotamians. In his Herbal, Dioscorides called cedar "the life of death".

Colorines

The Aztecs associated colorines with sacrificial death. They carved figures of their gods from the wood, and used the beans as an aphrodisiac and for producing dreams.

Ephedra

One of the oldest magical plants known to man, ephedra was used in the Iranian Haoma cult, Tantric moon rituals, orgiastic Saturnalia, and N.A. Indian vision quests. Consequently, the leaves of this plant were often included in the funerary goods.

Guayusa

This type of holly grows in Ecuador, and has been found in graves there dating from 500 BC. The leaves were found in medicine bags, along with snuff pipes. This plant is supposed to give strength and auspicious dreams, and is used as an emetic and enema.

Hemp

While I would never suggest that anyone grow this (oh no, never. really.) hemp is one of oldest cultivated plants. It was originally grown in China, and has been used by almost every culture in Asia, Africa, and Europe. It's medicinal and inebriant uses are well known.

Lotus

The lotus flower is a symbol of perfection, immortality, and enlightenment. The roots and seeds were used as amulets.

Maize

The Maya say that maize has the greatest life energy of any plant. Dried kernels are used as oracles and worn as amulets. Maize supposedly has the power to dispel demons.

Maté

Maté Yerba shrub leaves were found in pre-Columbian graves in the Andes. The leaves were placed in gourds lined with silver, so the dead could make maté tea and remain awake on their journey to the afterlife.

Poppy

This was one of the plants, along with henbane, thornapple, and tobacco, which later became associated with witches. However, poppy capsules have been found in archaeological sites in Switzerland which belong to the Lake Dwellers, and are 4000 years old.

Prickly Poppy

Aztecs thought that 'all poisonous plants are eaten in the underworld, and all who go there eat prickly poppy'. This is a medicinal plant with many uses.

San Pedro Cactus

A Peruvian plant, also found in pre-Columbian graves, which was used for traveling to unseen worlds.

Tobacco

Originally a New World plant, it was adopted into magical ceremonies all over the world. Mayan temples and pyramids are decorated with images of the plant and their gods smoking tobacco. It was an important inclusion in pre-Columbian graves.

Boxwood

Now used mainly as a hedge, sprigs of boxwood were found in three early Roman coffins (probably a local custom). Much later, the English used boxwood at funerals. The custom was to leave sprays of it next to the door so that people could take a spray and throw in into the grave at the appropriate time.

Juniper

The coffin juniper, Juniperus recurva var. coxii, has a resinous wood that is used for Buddhist incense and for, obviously, making coffins. The Greeks burned juniper berries at funerals to repel demons.