plant

Saffron

Saffron as a plant people have named and used. Costly thread, golden stain, rare harvest — one living kind, not a single symbol.

object · 14

Saffron is used in Honey.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, saffron perfumes syrups boiled to the thickness of honey — the honey body takes cloves, saffron, and ginger as the finishing scent.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Saffron is used in Wine.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, after adding a fifth part saffron one pours over it a quantity of old wine (or beer) and lets it stand a night before warming — wine is the steeping liquor of that saffron preparation.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Saffron is used in Beer.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, the fifth-part saffron soak may take old wine or beer poured over it for a night before it is warmed on the fire — beer is the alternate steeping liquor of that saffron preparation.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Saffron is historically related to Tin.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, saffron is added to a yellow bark liquor and tin leaves are placed in it until they show a golden colour — saffron colours that tin.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Saffron is historically related to Egg.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, saffron put into green tempered with egg makes a greenish yellow — saffron is mixed into that egg temper.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Saffron is historically related to Milk.
In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, fomenting bladders are filled with a decoction of mallows and camomile flowers to which a little saffron is added and mixed with about a third part of new milk — saffron is mixed into that milk decoction.
from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)
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Saffron is historically related to Frankincense.
In Culpeper English Physician, mithridate compounds saffron with frankincense among myrrh, ginger, cinnamon, and treacle mustard seeds.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Saffron is historically related to Paper.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, an oriental prince’s letter is written on silver paper flowered with gold, with an additional sprinkling of saffron, then enclosed under a cover of gold brocade.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Saffron is historically related to Silk.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, after tin is milled, glued, and polished for book ornament, saffron with which silk is coloured is taken to stain the tin gold-like.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Myrrh is historically related to Saffron.
In Dunglison’s Medical Lexicon, an antidote of athanasia consisted of saffron, cinnamon, lavender, cassia, and myrrh with honey — myrrh is compounded with that saffron.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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Alum is historically related to Saffron.
In Dunglison’s Medical Lexicon, anthera was a remedy compounded of myrrh, sandarac, alum, saffron, &c., used as liniment, collyrium, electuary, and powder — alum is compounded with that saffron.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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Cheese is historically related to Saffron.
In Beeton Book of Household Management, vermicelli paste adds yolks of eggs, sugar, saffron, and cheese - cheese is worked with that saffron.
from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861
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Bread is historically related to Saffron.
In Watson’s Biblical and Theological Dictionary, Jewish rabbins mention fitches among condiments mixed with bread, and eastern bakers still strew rusks and biscuits with sesame, coriander, and wild garden saffron.
from Richard Watson · A Biblical and Theological Dictionary, 1831–32 (Gutenberg #53884)
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Bole is historically related to Saffron.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, a vinegar compound ties saffron, hart’s-horn, dittany, and bole ammoniac in a rag and steeps them with herbs in five pints of vinegar by temperate heat, then adds treacle after straining.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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plant · 14

Saffron is historically related to Rice.
In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, manna kroup made from wheat and rice is coloured yellow by a portion of saffron and yolks of eggs — saffron is mixed into that rice flour.
from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861
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Saffron is historically related to Cinnamon.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, a purge syrup steepens simples with cinnamon infused apart, then crushes saffron in the boiled syrup — saffron is finished with that cinnamon infusion.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Ginger
In Culpeper English Physician, an oxymel perfume compounds honey of roses with cloves, saffron, ginger, galanga, and mace after boiling to honey thickness.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Saffron is historically related to Pepper.
In Culpeper English Physician, a stomach powder mixes saffron with black pepper and ginger among birthwort, gentian, and cinnamon.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Saffron is historically related to Lemon.
In Dunglison’s Medical Lexicon, Baume’s confection compounds saffron with syrup of lemon, camphor, and oil of lemon among myrrh and cinnamon.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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Saffron is historically related to Lavender.
In Dunglison’s Medical Lexicon, Emplastrum de Vigo melts resins and myrrh with saffron, then before congealing adds essential oil of lavender after mercury has been triturated with turpentine and storax.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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Saffron is historically related to Apple.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, half a dram of turmeric is taken at night in the pulp of a roasted apple, and a little saffron added to it makes the dose better against jaundice and a cold liver.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Rosemary is used in Saffron.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, rosemary flowers boiled with black thorn take half a quantity of saffron near the end of the Rhenish wine boil — saffron finishes that Camerarius health decoction with rosemary.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Blackthorn is used in Saffron.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, black thorn flowers share the wormwood–rosemary wine that receives saffron at the last — saffron closes the same Camerarius boil as the blackthorn.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Valerian is associated with Saffron.
In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, a tea-spoonful of the tincture of castor and of saffron mixed together is taken in a cup of valerian-tea — valerian carries that saffron dose.
from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)
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Wormwood is historically related to Saffron.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, wormwood flowers are boiled with rosemary, blackthorn, and saffron in Rhenish wine as Camerarius’s health draught.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Angelica is historically related to Saffron.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, Gilbert’s water steeps angelica with other herbs in canary wine, then stills it and adds saffron with the cordial flowers.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Mint is historically related to Saffron.
In Beeton’s Book of Household Management, a saline mixture compounds mint-water with powdered nitre, antimonial wine, spirits of nitre, and syrup of saffron.
from Isabella Beeton · Book of Household Management, 1861
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Hyssop is historically related to Saffron.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, a lohoch of squills bruises baked squil with honey, then stirs in powdered hyssop, horehound, saffron, and myrrh.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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element · 6

Saffron is historically related to Oil.
In Cooley's Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts, Saffron is placed beside Oil as concrete shop companions.
from Arnold James Cooley · Cyclopædia of Practical Receipts, 6th ed. (PD; Gutenberg #39733 / #41957)
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Saffron is historically related to Vinegar.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, acetum theriacale ties saffron in a rag and steeps it with the simples in vinegar for certain days — saffron is steeped in that vinegar.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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Saffron is historically related to Glue.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, tin is washed like gold and applied with the same glue, then polished and coloured with saffron — saffron finishes work fixed by that glue.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Saffron is historically related to Whey.
In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, powdered wild valerian, saffron, and castor are rubbed together and given in a cup of wine-whey three or four times a day.
from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)
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Zinc is historically related to Saffron.
In Dunglison Medical Lexicon, eau d Alibour compounds sulphate of zinc with camphor and saffron in water - zinc is mixed with that saffron.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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Camphor
In Dunglison Medical Lexicon, balsam of Lectoure dissolves camphor with saffron, musk, and ambergris in essential oils for purifying infected air.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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color · 3

Saffron is historically related to Green.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, putting saffron into green makes a greenish yellow, and saffron or calcined-bone powder brightens green that has darkened in the pot.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Gold is historically related to Saffron.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, when gold is wanting, tin leaf is coloured with a saffron liquor (wine or beer) to imitate gold ornament in books — saffron stands in for that gold colour.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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Indigo is historically related to Saffron.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, the bright colours for parchment include indigo and saffron among those tempered with egg like the other colours — indigo sits with that saffron on the parchment palette.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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practice · 2

Saffron is used in Medicine.
Dioscorides’ De Materia Medica lists saffron (krokos) among aromatic drugs and eye/ointment compounds. A named saffron in that handbook, not a dye-only flatten and not a modern supplement dump.
from Pedanius Dioscorides · De Materia Medica, 1st century CE
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Saffron is used in Dye.
Pliny’s Natural History treats saffron among yellow colorants for cloth and related dyeing speech. A named saffron dye use in that encyclopedia, not weld as the Reseda yellow already walked and not generic yellow as a hue word.
from Pliny the Elder · Natural History, c. 77 CE
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celestial-body · 1

Castor is associated with Saffron.
In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, a tea-spoonful of the tincture of castor and of saffron mixed together is taken in a cup of valerian-tea — castor is mixed with that saffron.
from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)
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deity · 1

Saffron is historically related to Mercury.
In Dunglison’s Medical Lexicon, Emplastrum de Vigo melts resins with saffron, then triturates mercury with turpentine and storax until the globules disappear before melting all together.
from Robley Dunglison · Medical Lexicon, 1874 (and earlier PD eds.)
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number · 1

Fifth is used in Saffron.
In Theophilus’s Divers Arts, a fifth part saffron is added in a clean vessel and old wine or beer poured over it to stand overnight before warming — the fifth-part measure sets that saffron soak.
from Theophilus Presbyter · On Divers Arts, c. early 12th century
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quality · 1

Saffron is associated with Heart.
In Culpeper’s English Physician, Saffron under the Lion strengthens the heart exceedingly, and an immoderate cordial dose hurts the heart instead of helping it — saffron works that heart.
from Nicholas Culpeper · The English Physician, 1652 (and later PD editions)
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ritual · 1

Mortification is used in Saffron.
In Buchan’s Domestic Medicine, mortification is treated by ripening poultices with saffron and warm fomentations — saffron enters that mortification poultice.
from William Buchan · Domestic Medicine, 1791 (12th ed.; Gutenberg #74359)
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tradition · 1

Hellenic religion

Saffron appears in Hellenic religion.
Pausanias names saffron among dyed cloth and offering-neighbor speech in Greek sanctuary description. A named saffron in that periegesis, not crocus as a missing entity and not every spice dump.
from Pausanias · Description of Greece, c. 150–180 CE
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