This article, originally published in 1905, discusses Medieval superstitions about the mandrake root and how it is still to this day kept as a doll.
Plant With a Soul
Medieval Superstition So Credited the Mandrake
The mandrake is supposed to possess a soul, owing to its extraordinary resemblance to a human face, and in medieval times it was believed that one could hear the dying shrieks of the mandrake root as it was torn up from the soil. The adventurous person who attempted such a dangerous task stopped his ears with wax so that he might not hear the groans of the mandrake root.
Its possession was considered by the ancient Germans to bring good luck, money and love to the owner, so the happy possessor dressed them in the same manner as children do dolls and kept them as precious jewels in a casket.
When required, their services were utilized for healing purposes or for the divination of future events.
Source: The Dolores star. (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.), 14 July 1905.
