The Magic Spells That Herded Medieval Bees

Image caption: This illustration from a Medieval manuscript shows bees returning to a skep hive. Public Domain. Article by Andrew Coletti. Atlas Obscura – October 20, 2023.

For European beekeepers, “swarm charms” were once a tool of the trade.

If you had a problem in Early Medieval Europe, chances were good that there was a spell for it. “Metrical charms” were sets of magical instructions for addressing dilemmas with spoken words and actions that combined herbal medicine, prayer, and ritual. Many dealt with […]

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