Yarrow
Achillea millefolium: A fragrant herb with ancient roots and modern uses in traditional medicine.
Yarrow, scientifically known as Achillea millefolium L., is a member of the Asteraceae (daisy) family, with a global distribution and various names like milfoil, thousand-leaf, or old man’s pepper, owing to its fragrant aroma. Its genus name, Achillea, has origins in Greek mythology, as Achilles reputedly used yarrow leaves to staunch bleeding wounds. This plant is renowned for its ability to heal wounds and address blood-related ailments, resulting in names such as bloodwort, soldier’s woundwort, military herb, sanguinary, nosebleed, or knight’s milfoil.
Evidence of yarrow's historical significance stretches back 60,000 years, with yarrow pollen discovered at Shanidar IV, an ancient Neanderthal burial cave in Iraq. This suggests its possible early use in rituals or medicine. In the first century AD, the European classical medical tradition documented yarrow's use in surviving texts authored by Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides.
Furthermore, recent DNA analysis has identified yarrow among the plants found in two pressed tablets of plant material recovered from a collection of medical supplies on a Roman shipwreck off the Tuscan coast, dating back to between 140 and 120 BC. This discovery underscores its enduring relevance in historical medicine.
Throughout the centuries, cultures worldwide have recognized and harnessed yarrow's therapeutic benefits. Today, it continues to be sold as a panacea in herbal supplements and ointments, a testament to its enduring healing properties.
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