Found in the Hermetikon archive

Cedar

Cedrus libani

Cedar appears in Hermetikon as an archive-backed plant entry, with references across historical medical, magical, symbolic, and ritual contexts where the source texts support them.

Risk: moderate
Books: 62
Contexts: 5
Mentions: 228

Overview Reading Contexts Citations Related Books

Archive Profile

Identity, safety, and search aliases used to connect this herb to the archive.

Herb identity

Common name: cedar
Latin name: Cedrus libani(ambiguous)
Identity note: Archive references may be biblical, ritual, architectural, or aromatic wood contexts.

Safety

moderate

Cedar woods and oils vary by species; essential-oil exposure and ingestion require caution.

Historical archive citations are not medical advice. Use modern clinical and poison-control sources for ingestion, dosage, pregnancy, and toxicity questions.

Kew POWO: Cedar woods and oils vary by species; essential-oil exposure and ingestion require caution.

Aliases

cedarcedar woodcedarwoodCedrus libani

Cedar in Historical Sources

Curated archive synthesis of recurring uses, recipes, rituals, and interpretive problems.

Hermetikon's curated reading of Cedar (Cedrus libani) is built from 3 source-linked archive notes and 2 preparation or ritual-use entries. The strongest recurring contexts are ritual uses and symbolism. Each note below links back to the archive source used for the claim.

Ritual

high

Frazer describes cedar wood dipped in wine and burned during a sacred marriage rite, alongside libations, aromatic woods, and offerings.

The Golden Bough | James George Frazer | 1906

Â§ 3. Sacrifices to Water-spirits

Symbolism

high

Frazer's Moroccan seed rite uses sprigs and smoke of sacred cedar to fertilize wheat before sowing, making cedar a ritual fertility material.

The Golden Bough | James George Frazer | 1890

Â§ 5.â€”Tree-worship in antiquity.

Ritual

high

Hastings describes the red-heifer ash mixture of cedar wood, hyssop, and scarlet used for the biblical water of separation.

Hastings' Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics | James Hastings | 1918

Page 515

Preparations and ritual uses

Cedar wood burned in wine

high

Frazer describes cedar wood dipped in wine and burned during an offering sequence with libations and aromatic woods.

The Golden Bough | James George Frazer | 1906

Â§ 3. Sacrifices to Water-spirits

Cedar smoke for seed

high

Frazer records wheat seed held over smoke from a sacred cedar bonfire before sowing.

The Golden Bough | James George Frazer | 1890

Â§ 5.â€”Tree-worship in antiquity.

Cedar Archive Contexts

Compact source patterns from the extracted citation set.

Astrology

2 passages across 2 books; strongest source: The Discoverie of Witchcraft.

Matched as cedar; medium confidence.

Preparation

4 passages across 4 books; strongest source: Encyclopaedia of Occultism.

Matched as cedar; high confidence.

Symbolism

1 passage across 1 book; strongest source: The Golden Bough.

Matched as cedar wood; high confidence.

Ritual

5 passages across 5 books; strongest source: Liber 777.

Matched as cedar; medium confidence.

Safety

2 passages across 2 books; strongest source: The Golden Bough.

Matched as cedar; medium confidence.

Cedar Cited Excerpts

Representative public passages with the herb mention highlighted and linked to archive source material.

5 shown

The Golden Bough

James George Frazer

1906

"...essel of oil, approached the bed thrice, kissed the feet of the image, then retired and sat down. After that she burned cedar wood dipped in wine, set before the image the heart of a sheep wrapped in a cloth, and offered libations. Aromatic woods were consecrated and burnt, more libations and offerings were made, tables were spread for various divinities, and the ceremony ended with a prayer for the King . The god also went in procession to a grove, riding in a chariot beside his charioteer. [452] | Marriage of the god Ammon to the Queen of Egypt. | At Thebes in E..."

Â§ 3. Sacrifices to Water-spiritsOpen in Reader

Preparationalias: cedar woodhigh confidence

The Golden Bough

James George Frazer

1890

"...'s granary a quantity of wheat, which is placed in a skin mixed with sprigs of the sacred cedar. A large bonfire of the cedar wood is lighted, and the wheat which is to be sown is held over the smoke. The rest is ground and made into a large cake, which is baked on the same fire and given to the ploughman.[262](3462627639479318932_41082-h-11.html.xhtml#note_262) Here the intention of fertilising the seed by means of the sacred cedar is unmistakable. In all these cases the power of fostering the growth of crops, and, in general, of cultivated plants, is ascribed to..."

Â§ 5.â€”Tree-worship in antiquity.Open in Reader

Symbolismalias: cedar woodhigh confidence

The Golden Bough

James George Frazer

1890

"...mal without first making excuses to it and begging that the animal would not [pg 111] take it ill. Also they offered it cedar-nuts, etc. to make it think that it was not a victim but a guest at a feast. They believed that this prevented other animals of the same species from growing shy. For instance, after they had killed a bear and feasted on its flesh, the host would bring the bear's head before the company, wrap it in grass, and present it with a variety of trifles. Then he would lay the blame of the bear's death on the Russians, and bid the beast wreak h..."

Â§ 12.â€”Killing the divine animal.Open in Reader

Safetyalias: cedarmedium confidence

The Golden Bough

James George Frazer

1912

"...r sea animal without first making excuses to it and begging that the animal would not take it ill. Also they offered it cedar-nuts and so forth, to make it think that it was not a victim but a guest at a feast. They believed that this hindered other animals of the same species from growing shy. For instance, after they had killed a bear and feasted on its flesh, the host would bring the bear's head before the company, wrap it in grass, and present it with a variety of trifles. Then he would lay the blame of the bear's death on the Russians, and bid the beast ..."

Chapter XIV. The Propitiation of Wild Animals by Hunters.Open in Reader

Safetyalias: cedarmedium confidence

The Golden Bough

James George Frazer

1913

"...thorn-bushes into the ground, at the corners of a square, in which they cleanse themselves by rubbing their bodies with cedar branches. They also swim in ponds. After swimming they cleave four small trees and creep through the clefts, following the course of the sun. This they do on four subsequent mornings, cleaving new trees every day. Mourners cut their hair short. The hair that has been cut off is burnt. If they should not observe these regulations, it is believed that they would dream of the deceased.â€ 481 To the savage, who fails to distinguish the vi..."

Â§ 3. The External Soul in Animals.Open in Reader

Astrologyalias: cedarmedium confidence

Books Mentioning Cedar

Complete public source inventory, placed after the interpretive reading so the page opens with the most useful synthesis first.

62 books

The Golden Bough

James George Frazer | 1906

cedar woodcedar

26 mentionscited

Encyclopaedia of Antiquities

Thomas Dudley Fosbroke | 1825

Archive Profile

Herb identity

Safety

Aliases

Cedar in Historical Sources

Ritual

Symbolism

Ritual

Preparations and ritual uses

Cedar wood burned in wine

Cedar smoke for seed

Cedar Archive Contexts

Astrology

Preparation

Symbolism

Ritual

Safety

Cedar Cited Excerpts

The Golden Bough

The Golden Bough

The Golden Bough

The Golden Bough

The Golden Bough

Related Archive Material

Related herbs

Books Mentioning Cedar