^№13
Mugwort

Artemisia vulgaria

From the Middle Ages mugwort was held to be a powerful agent against wild beasts and random evil, and was said to protect the traveller from “fatigue, sunstroke, wild beasts and evil spirits”. Once known as cingulum sancti johannis, it was believed that John the Baptist wore a girdle of it in the wilderness, and consequently on St John’s Eve a crown of mugwort could be worn to assure against demonic possession.

Mugwort was a traditional flavouring for alcoholic drinks and was widely used as an astringent in ale, before hops were introduced.