Mythology
Gods: Bran, Niamh, Orpheus
Bran (the
‘Blessed’) the seafarer of oracular legacy in the Welsh Mabinogi, symbolised by black crow and his oracular head (in London); Niamh (of the Golden
Hair) who kept Ossin (Ossian) for many years below the waves. Orpheus (of the golden lyre)
has root in ‘orphruoeis’ (or ‘grow on a river bank’).
Manannan MacLyr (MacLir) ‘king of waters’ and sea journeys (gave
his name to Isle of Man).
Bran (traditionally son of Manannan) is deeply associated with sea-journeyings and water,
and with the raven. He is supposed to have had a magic cauldron to immerse his
warriors in after battle...
Botanical
Family: Alnus glutinosa, birch family,
is native to British Isles and lives near water
Traditional: water resistant, hence crannogs
had alder piles, so too did causeways in Ravenna marshes and medieval cathedrals,
hence the saying: ‘what can no house ever contain?’ (the piles on which it is
built).
Bog alder or ‘scottish mahogany‘ excellent for chairs due to
long
immersion in bog.
Wood: pipes, milk-pails, water-resistant uses,
cigar-boxes (reddish & cedar-like) oars, cricket bats, horsewhips, bridges,
troughs;
Bark: (stains reddish when cut) red dye for
tanning and fish-nets ;
Flowers: green dye ;
Twigs: charcoal and gunpowder, brown dye ;
Leaves: tans leather, makes horses tongues
black, catches fleas (sticky), pigs will not eat ;
Medicinal: bark decoction for inflammation
and swellings. Alder leaves in shoes ease sore feet;
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