The ethnobotany of Christ's Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) in Israel

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine The ethnobotany of Christ's Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) in Israel Amots Dafni 1 Shay Levy 1 Efraim Lev 0 0 Dep. of Erets Israel Studies, University of Haifa , Haifa, 31905 , Israel 1 Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa , Haifa, 31905 , Israel This article surveys the ethnobotany of Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. in the Middle East from various aspects: historical, religious, philological, literary, linguistic, as well as pharmacological, among Muslims, Jews, and Christians. It is suggested that this is the only tree species considered "holy" by Muslims (all the individuals of the species are sanctified by religion) in addition to its status as "sacred tree " (particular trees which are venerated due to historical or magical events related to them, regardless of their botanical identity) in the Middle East. It has also a special status as "blessed tree" among the Druze. IsraelethnobotanyChrist's Thorn JujubeZiziphus spina-christiholy treesacred tree - Introduction Christ's Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. [Rhamnaceae] is a tropical evergreen tree of Sudanese origin. It grows in Israel in all valleys and lowlands, and usually is confined to low elevations below a.s.l. 500 m [1]. The tree and its parts appear to have been in use in Pharaonic industry (carpentry), diet, and in medicine. The fruits were sometimes made into bread, which may also have been used for dressings when warm. Egyptian peasants made similar bread as late as the beginning of the 20 th century [2]. The Christ's Thorn Jujube has been mentioned in classical sources. The Greek botanist. Theophrastus (4th3rd centuries BC) wrote, "The (Egyptian) 'Christ Thorn is more shrubby than the lotos (might be Ziziphus lotus (l.) Lam.); it has a leaf like the tree of the same name of our country, but the fruit is different, for it is not flat, but round and red, and in size as large as the fruit of the prickly cedar or a little larger; it has a stone which is not eaten with the fruit, as in the case of the pomegranate, but the fruit is sweet, and, if one pours wine over it, they say that it becomes sweeter and that it makes the wine sweeter" [3]. Pliny (1st century AD) mentions the tree in comparison with related species: "The region of Cryonic ranks the lotus below its own Christ-thorn" [4]. This common species is frequently mentioned in Christian as well as Muslim traditions, and was also recorded by pilgrims who visited the Holy Land during generations. We may therefore say that this species is "well soaked" in the local folklore as well as the ethno medicine of almost all the ethnic groups living in the Land of Israel. Botanists expert in the Bible are constantly engaged in a great debate about what constitutes the "bramble" or "thorns" (Judges 9; 1415), "thorns" (Matthew 27:27 29) and the "crown of thorn" (John 19:5). Based on local traditions and old sources, today these citations are commonly deemed to refer to Z. spina-christi [5-7]. The Quran mentioned the tree twice (LIII: 1318; LVI: 28 32); the lote-tree is commonly identified as Z. spina-christi [8] and accordingly this species is highly respected by the Muslims through the Middle East. This tree has been widely used as a fruit plant and as a medicinal plant since antiquity and is still in use at present. The aim of this paper is to review the current ethnobotanical status of Z. spina-christi in Israel, based on our field studies, in relation to historical and current literature. Materials and methods The field study (19992004) centered on Arabic villages in Galilee. Informants were asked about the ritual importance of the plant, why it is respected, which parts are used, and for what purposes. The survey covered 92 informants, consisting of 38 Druze, 54 Muslims (36 Arabs and 18 Bedouins). The informants were mainly chosen according to their knowledge of common traditions and/ or religious status. The average age of the informant was 56 years (+/-14 years). The respondents were 90 males and two females (the women were interviewed in the presence of other family members). The question asked was: "What are the significance, uses, traditions, and stories you know about the Christ's Thorn Jujube?" Complementary questions on other trees were introduced only after the informant had expressed his or her view. The list of medicinal uses during the medieval period was compiled from a survey of written medieval sources [9,10]; the list of medicinal uses of present-day ethnic groups in Israel is based on an ethnobotanical survey [11], an ethnopharmacological survey [12], and other surveys that have been conducted in the Middle East. Medicinal uses mentioned by Palevitch et al. [11], which were recorded only from one or two informants, were validated in this survey. The plant names The plant is named sheisaf in Hebrew, and a few Bible commentators have identified the tree with the "atad" (Job 40:2122), identified otherwise with Lycium sp. [bramble, thorn bush, boxthorn], "n'atsuts", and even the "tse'elym" [5,13]. In rabbinical literature, the plant is called rimin" (Mishna, Demai, 1:1; Kilayim, 1:4), and in the Talmud it is called "kanari" (Bab. Talmud, Baba Bathra, 48b). It may be that it was so named because it is widespread around Lake Kinneret the Sea of Galilee (Bab. Talmud, Mgillah, 6a). Several common Arabic names are still in use today: "nabq, dum, sidr, tsal, sadr [[14-16] and [17]]." Sidr" serves as the common name for lotus jujube Z. lotus, which is also named "rubeida" after its crouch-shaped treetop. The names are used interchancheably in various geographical areas such as Lower Galilee. In Christian tradition the tree was identified with the thorn bush with which Jesus was crowned before his crucifixion (Matthew 27:2829; John 19:5; Mark 15:17). This is also the source for the scientific name (spina-christi). The tree is rare in the vicinity of Jerusalem (A. Shmida, personal communication 10 May 2004). But Henry Baker Tristram wrote that he saw a tree in the Kidron valley, outside the city, albeit in the form of a small bush [18]. Tristram gave both the Arabic and the scientific name; so presumably, he was closely familiar with the species. The debate over the identity of the "crown of thorns" in the New Testament is long-lived, and various plants have been suggested as candidates [6,7,19]. Islamic sources The Qur'an says, "And verily he saw him yet another time. By the lote-tree of the utmost boundary. Nigh unto which is the Garden of Abode. When that which shroudeth did enshroud the lote-tree. The eye turned not aside nor yet was overbold. Verily he saw one of the Greater Signs revelations of his Lord" (LIII: 1318, Pickthall edition). The only other reference to the lote-tree is in the sura of the Event, namely the Day of Judgment, when those at Allah's right hand, that is, the faithful, will dwell "among thorn less lote-trees and clustered plantains, and s (...truncated)