Flax

• Flax is used in Medicine.

  Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica lists flax (linon) seed among softening and demulcent drugs. A named flax in that handbook, not linen as cloth alone and not hemp as the neighboring bast fiber.

  from Pedanius Dioscorides · De Materia Medica, 1st century CE

  used in · sourced · documented

• Flax is historically related to Ivy.

  In Culpeper English Physician, compound ointment of marsh-mallows steeps flax seeds then adds gum of ivy with turpentine - flax meets that ivy gum.

  from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)

  historically related to · sourced · documented

• Flax is historically related to Barley.

  In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, the Egyptian hail of Exodus bruises flax at full growth together with barley forming its green ears, while wheat still in the blade escapes.

  from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)

  historically related to · sourced · documented

• Flax is historically related to Linen.

  In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, Egyptian flax wrought into garments is the principal dress of the inhabitants, and the fine linen of Egypt is celebrated in ancient authors and scripture.

  from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)

  historically related to · sourced · documented

• Flax is historically related to Cotton.

  In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, Persian corslets and Saul’s breastplate are described as flax or cotton woven very thick for body armour.

  from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)

  historically related to · sourced · documented

• Flax is historically related to Passover.

  In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, a few days before the Passover the hail of Exodus bruised and destroyed Egypt’s flax at full growth and the barley forming green ears, while wheat still in the blade escaped.

  from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)

  historically related to · sourced · documented

• Mortar is historically related to Flax.

  In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, the finer second plastering mixes lime mortar with cotton or flax to make a firm paste — flax is worked into that mortar.

  from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century

  historically related to · sourced · documented

• Wool is historically related to Flax.

  In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, the virtuous woman of Proverbs seeks wool and flax and works them with her hands at the spindle and distaff.

  from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)

  historically related to · sourced · documented

Roman religion

• Flax appears in Roman religion.

  Pliny’s Natural History seats flax among Italian and provincial fiber crops for linen. A named flax in that encyclopedia, not linseed-oil as the pressed product already walked and not a modern linen-brand dump.

  from Pliny the Elder · Natural History, c. 77 CE

  appears in · sourced · documented

Egyptian religion

• Flax appears in Egyptian religion.

  Herodotus’s Egyptian logos treats flax among the plants behind linen dress and temple cloth. A named flax in that traveler’s speech, not linen as the cloth keep-apart already walked and not a modern textile-mill dump.

  from Herodotus · Histories, c. 440s BCE

  appears in · sourced · documented

Alchemy

• Cold-Pressed Linseed is historically related to Flax.

  Merrifield’s oil-purification notes seat cold-drawn linseed oil from flax seed among the painters’ drying oils before boiling. A named cold-pressed-linseed historically related to flax, not boiled-linseed-oil and not poppy-oil as the slower-drying seed oil.

  from Mary Philadelphia Merrifield · Original Treatises on the Arts of Painting, 1849

  historically related to · sourced · documented

European folklore

• Ramie is historically related to Flax.

  Beck’s Dictionary seats ramie (China grass) among lustrous bast fibers treated beside flax in drapery fiber speech. A named ramie in that drapery trade, not hemp as the coarser bast and not linen as the finished cloth alone.

  from S. William Beck · The Draper’s Dictionary, 1882

  historically related to · sourced · documented