Known as the Tree of Wisdom and Inspiration, the hazelnut tree and its fruits have always been considered a source of nourishment and spirituality. Let's discover together some interesting facts about the traditions associated with hazelnuts and their tree.
The scientific name of the hazelnut is Corylus Avellana. The word Corylus derives from the Greek córys, meaning "helmet," and the term refers to the shell of the hazelnut, while Avellana comes from Avella, a city once known for its large presence of hazelnuts.
The Hazelnut in Greek and Roman Tradition and Literature
Traditionally, hazelnuts and their trees symbolize fertility, wealth, wisdom, inspiration, knowledge, and truth, and were widespread throughout the Mediterranean basin even in Greek and Roman times.
The Greeks and Romans gave hazelnut trees and hazelnuts to guests at wedding banquets to wish them happiness and prosperity. They associated the hazelnut with the Greek god Hermes (Mercury to the Romans), often depicted with the famous hazelnut staff: the Caduceus.
The hazelnut is depicted in the frescoes of Pompeii and mentioned in the works of Virgil, in the short stories of Boccaccio, in the poems of Pascoli, and in the dialogues of Shakespeare, right up to Gabriele D’Annunzio and Cesare Pavese.
In the Bible's Exodus, chapter 7:9-20, it is said that Moses brandished a hazel staff to afflict the Egyptians with the famous seven plagues and to open a passage through the Red Sea.
The Hazel in Celtic and Druid Tradition
Ancient Irish Celtic tradition saw the hazel tree growing near the mythical spring of Connle, where the nine hazels of poetic art branched out. According to tradition, those who ate the hazelnuts of these trees, whose protective shell represented the envelope of the soul, acquired the gift of wisdom and dialectics.
Also in Celtic culture hazelnuts and their trees were considered symbols of fertility and were used as a good omen for the continuation of offspring.
Celts and Druids used hazel twigs to make magic wands and divinatory palettes, believed to have the power to lead those who desired them to the place they sought: whether it was the spot to dig to unearth a hidden treasure or an underground water source, the path to find a lost person, or something else.
Following this tradition, some believe there is a connection between hazel and water: hazel wood reacts to the presence of water, leading to important hidden sources.
In times past, hazel sticks and branches were used as an infallible weapon and protection against dangerous snakes.
The Hazel Today
Even today, charcoal obtained from hazel wood is used in the preparation of drawing charcoal: one could say that a close connection between hazel and art still exists today.
Furthermore, we may be skeptical of the legends of our ancestors, but one thing is certain: we know how precious the hazelnut, its fruit, and even its leaves are.
Even today, herbal teas with purifying, laxative, remineralizing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties are made from the leaves and bark of the hazelnut tree, and hazelnuts have become a precious commodity.
Hazelnuts are primarily used as a dietary source of protein, minerals, vitamin E, and unsaturated fatty acids, particularly alpha-linolenic acid.
The beneficial properties of hazelnuts have been analyzed in studies that have associated them with cardiovascular benefits, particularly the reduction of total and bad cholesterol and the increase of good cholesterol and triglycerides.
SOURCES
https://www.humanitas.it/enciclopedia/alimenti/frutta/nocciole/#:~:text=Hazelnuts are mainly used, especially for alpha-linolenic acid.
https://www.serenamente.blog/blog/il-nocciolo-proprieta- simbologia-ed-antiche-storie
https://www.lafune.eu/aliante-della-tuscia-il-nocciolo-dellagro-falisco-una-pianta-cara-anche-alla-tradizione-celtica/
https://www.nucisit
