Сильфий - трава ангела

Abstract

A comprehensive analysis of ancient texts and non-written sources, taking into account the indirect information contained in them, made it possible to reliably determine the affiliation of the extinct plant – Cyrenic silphium to the angelica (Archangelica). Sylphium from Syria and the mysterious Greek magidaris are reliably identified as Angelica sylvestris, and silphium from region of Media as purple angelica, previously considered xanthogalum (Angelica purpurascens syn. Xanthogalum purpurascens).

Below you can find out exactly what species of silphium, including the modern Latin name, by the warriors of Alexander the Great seasoned raw donkey' meat in their pass through the Hindu Kush, how the juice of silphium was collected and processed in ancient times, where to look of the Pontic silphium, and at the same time get acquainted with other interesting and promising information about this useful, but an extinct weed.