Coma, Alex

For this project, I used a total of 12 plants that were anciently used in rituals to represents the 12 zodiacs and there virtues. These same virtues also corresponded to ways to heal and treat different diseases and health conditions. This specific one, vervain, was considered by many powerful civilizations as a sacred plant. In fact, an Egyptian legend tells us that the vervain plant sprung out when the goddess Isis shed tears to mourn the death of another god, Osiris. Vervain was called "herba sacra" by the Romans, and "hierobotane" or "holy plant" by the Greeks, and used to brush temple altars. When straight up, it was said to have the virtues of the astrological sign Taurus. It was and still is used as an analgesic, an anti-inflammatory, an antispasmodic, an astringent, a diuretic and an anti-parasitic in naturopathy.