MUSHROOMS RUSSIA AND HISTORY Volume 1 - New Alexandria

287 Pages·2008·7.19 MB·English

by  Igor Dolgov

MUSHROOMS
RUSSIA AND HISTORY

BY
VALENTINA PAVLOVNA WASSON AND
R.GORDON WASSON

VOLUME I

PANTHEON BOOKS • NEW YORK
COPYRIGHT © 1957 BY R. GORDON WASSON
MANUFACTURED IN ITALY FOR THE AUTHORS AND
PANTHEON BOOKS INC. 333, SIXTH AVENUE,
NEW YORK 14, N. Y.
www.NewAlexandria.org/
archive
CONTENTS

LIST OF PLATES VII
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT XIII
PREFACE XVII
VOLUME I

I. MUSHROOMS AND THE RUSSIANS 3
II. MUSHROOMS AND THE ENGLISH 19
III. MUSHROOMS AND HISTORY 37
IV. MUSHROOMS FOR MURDERERS 47
V. THE RIDDLE OF THE TOAD AND OTHER SECRETS
MUSHROOMIC 65

1. The Venomous Toad 66
2. Basques and Slovaks 77
3. The Cripple, the Toad, and the Devil's Bread 80
4. The 'Pogge Cluster 92
5. Puff balls, Filth, and Vermin 97
6. The Sponge Cluster 105
7. Punk, Fire, and Love 112
8. The Gourd Cluster 127
9. From 'Panggo' to 'Pupik' 138
10. Mucus, Mushrooms, and Love 145
11. The Secrets of the Truffle 166
12. 'Gripau' and 'Crib' 185
13. The Flies in the Amanita 190
v
CONTENTS
VOLUME II

V. THE RIDDLE OF THE TOAD AND OTHER SECRETS
MUSHROOMIC (CONTINUED)
14. Teo-Nandcatl: the Sacred Mushrooms of the Nahua 215
15. Teo-Nandcatl: the Mushroom Agape 287
16. The Divine Mushroom: Archeological Clues in the Valley of Mexico 322
17. 'Gama no Koshikake and 'Hegba Mboddo' 330
18. The Anatomy of Mycophobia 335
19. Mushrooms in Art 351
20. Unscientific Nomenclature 364
Vale 374
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 381
APPENDIX I:
Mushrooms in Tolstoy's 'Anna Karenina 391
APPENDIX II:
Aksakov's 'Remarks and Observations of a Mushroom Hunter' 394
APPENDIX III:
Leuba's 'Hymn to the Morel' 400
APPENDIX IV:
Hallucinogenic Mushrooms: Early Mexican Sources 404
INDEX OF FUNGAL METAPHORS AND SEMANTIC ASSOCIATIONS 411
INDEX OF MUSHROOM NAMES 414
INDEX OF PERSONS AND PLACES 421
VI
LIST OF PLATES

VOLUME I

JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Coprinus nycthemerus Fr. Title-page
I. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Boletus edulis Fr. ex Bull. 4
ii. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Coprinus comatus Fr. ex Mull. 4
in. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Clathrus cancellatus Lin. ex Tournef. 12
iv. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Collybia fusipes Fr. ex Bull. 16
v. THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH. The Mushroom Girl. By courtesy of the Museum of
Fine Arts, Boston (Mass.). 22
vi. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Arrnillariella mellea (Fr. ex Vahl) Pat. 36
vn. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Rhodopaxillus nudus (Fr. ex Bull.) R. Maire. 40
vm. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Boletus duriusculus Kalchbr. 48
ix. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Amanita csesarea Fr. ex Scop. 56
x. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Amanita phalloides Fr. 60
xi. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Danse Macabre: Amanita verna Fr. ex Bull. 60
xn. HIERONYMUS BOSCH. The Last Judgment. Detail: Spitting toad. By courtesy
of the Bayerische Staatsgemdldesammlungen, Munich. 70
xni. HIERONYMUS BOSCH. The Seven Deadly Sins. Detail: Superbia. By courtesy
of the Prado Museum, Madrid. 78
xiv. Conversion of Clovis. Tapestry in the Musee de Reims showing King Clovis
in the battle of Tolbiac, his instruction in Christian doctrine by St. Remi,
and his baptism. Woven in 1531. By courtesy of the Caisse Nationale des Mo
numents Historiques, Paris. 86
xv HIERONYMUS BOSCH. The Hay Wain. Central Panel. By courtesy of the Prado
Museum, Madrid. 88
xvi. HIERONYMUS BOSCH. The Hay Wain. Detail. By courtesy of the Prado Mu
seum, Madrid. 88
xvn. HIERONYMUS BOSCH. The Hay Wain. Detail: Boletus. By courtesy of the
Prado Museum, Madrid. 88
xvni. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Boletus Satanas Lenz. 92
xix. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Lycoperdon furfuraceum Pers. ex Schaeff. 100
VII
LIST OF PLATES
xx. Napoleonic caricature. By courtesy of Frank Altschul, Esq., Overbrook Farm,
Stamford, Conn. 100
xxi. Etruscan Mirror. Ixion on his wheel. By courtesy of the British Museum,
London. 114
xxn. Fomes ofGcinalis. Miniature from a loth century Byzantine codex (No. 652)
of Dioscorides. By courtesy of The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. 118
xxni. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Morchella vulgaris Pers. 124
xxiv. JAN FYT. Still life. By courtesy of the Musees Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique,
Brussels. 128
xxv. JAN DAVIDSZ. DE HEEM. Still life. By courtesy of the Wallace Collection, London. 128
xxvi. ADRIAEN VAN UTRECHT. Still life. By courtesy of the Musees Royaux des Beaux-
Arts de Belgique, Brussels. 128
xxvii. Frontispiece to Franciscus van Sterbeeck's Theatrum Fungorum, Antwerp,
1675. 128
xxvni. GIUSEPPE ARCIMBOLDO. Autumn. By courtesy of the Pinacoteca, Brescia. 132
xxix. GIUSEPPE ARCIMBOLDO. Autumn: Detail. By courtesy of the Pinacoteca, Brescia. 132
xxx. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Psalliota campestris Fr. ex L. 136
xxxi. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Lactarius piperatus Fr. ex Scop. 148
xxxii. TUBER. Miniature from a loth century Byzantine codex (No. 652) of Dio
scorides. By courtesy of The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. 168
xxxin. Toads in Hell. Detail from a painting \>y the pseudo-rlem met Ae B\eS.
Venice, Ducal Palace. Photo by Fiorentini, Venice. 188
xxxrv. Toad. Detail from a mosaic in the Battistero, Florence. Photo by Fratelli Ali-
nari, Florence. jgg
xxxv. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Amanita muscaria Fr. ex Pers. 192
xxxvi. HIERONYMUS BOSCH. The Hay Wain. Left Panel. By courtesy of the Prado
Museum, Madrid. 208
xxxvn. OTTO MARSEUS VAN SCHRIECK. Moth with mushrooms. By courtesy of the
Offentliche Kunstsammlung, Bale. 208
VIII
LIST OF PLATES
VOLUME II
JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Coprinus tardus Karst. Title-page
XXXVHI.JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Boletus duriusculus Kalchbr. 218
xxxix. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Panseolus campanulatus Fr. ex L. 242
XL. Ceremonial mushrooms. Water-color by Michelle Bory. 254
XLI. Accessories to the mushroom rite. Water-color by VPW. 254
XLH. Aurelio Carreras, curandero, and his son Mauro. Huautla de Jimenez,
July 5, 1955. Photo by Allan Richardson. 262
XLHI. Mushroom stone. Attributed to early classic period, Highland Maya, c. 300
A.D. to c. 600 A.D. About 30 cm. high. By courtesy of the Rietberg Museum,
Zurich. 274
XLIV. Mushroom stone. By courtesy of Hans Namuth, Esq., New York. 274
XLV. Cayetano's House, Huautla de Jimenez. June 1955. Photo by RGW. 278
XLVI. Maria Sabina and her daughter Polonia, curanderas. Huautla de Jimenez,
June 29, 1955. Photo by Allan Richardson. 294
XLVH. Maria Sabina, curandera, passing mushrooms over incense (copal); also her
daughter Polonia and Cayetano's mother. Huautla de Jimenez, June 29-30,
!955- Photo by Allan Richardson. 294
XLVIII. Adoration of the mushroom. Maria Sabina, curandera, and her daughter
Polonia. Huautla de Jimenez, June 29-30, 1955. Photo by Allan Richardson. 294
xnx. Emilio Garcia taking Teo-nandcatl or 'God's Flesh'. Huautla de Jimenez,
June 29, 1955. Photo by Allan Richardson. 294
L. Maria Sabina, curandera, and her son Aurelio under the influence of mush-
rooms. Huautla de Jimenez, June 29, 1955. Photo by Allan Richardson. 300
n. Aristeo Matias with bowl of divine mushrooms. San Agustin Loxicha, July
22, 1955. Photo by RGW. 316
in. Chinese sage contemplating Ling-chih. Painted by Chen Hung-shou (1599-
1652). Reproduced by courtesy of Wango Wing, Esq. 322
nn. Teopancalco fresco. Teotihuacan, in the Valley of Mexico. From Teoti-
huacan III period, A.D. 300-600. After Antonio Penafiel. 322
LIV. Detail of Tlaloc effigy, Tepantitla fresco. Reproduced by Marilyn Weber. 326
LV. Detail of Tepantitla fresco: Soul arriving on the playing fields of Paradise.
Reproduced by Marilyn Weber. 326
IX
LIST OF PLATES
LVi. Illuminated initial from a I5th century manuscript (No. 165) of Le Livre
pour la Sante du Corps, by Aldobrandino da Siena, 1256. By courtesy of The
Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. 342
LVII. A. Mushrooms. Miniature from a pth century Greek codex (Grec 2179) of
Dioscorides. By courtesy of the Bibliotheque Nationals., Paris.
B. Mushrooms. Miniature from an 11 th century Arabic manuscript (Arabe
4947) of Dioscorides. By courtesy of the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. 350
LVIII. Mushrooms. Miniature from a loth century manuscript (No. 652) of Dio
scorides. By courtesy of The Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. 350
LIX. PIETER BRUEGHEL THE ELDER. The Misanthrope. By courtesy of the Museo Na-
zionale, Naples. 358
LX. PIETER BRUEGHEL THE ELDER. The Misanthrope. Detail. By courtesy of the
Museo Nazionale, Naples. 358
LXI. JUAN BAUTTSTA MAYNO. The Adoration of the Magi, c. 1610. By courtesy of
the Prado Museum, Madrid. 358
LXII. JUAN BAUTISTA MAYNO. The Adoration of the Magi, c. 1610. Detail. By
courtesy of the Prado Museum, Madrid. 358
LXIII. HERRI MET DE BLES ('CIVETTA'). Christ bearing the Cross. By courtesy of the
Gemaldegalerie der Akademie der bildenden Kilnste, Vienna. 358
LXIV. HERRI MET DE BLES ('CIVETTA'). Christ bearing the Cross. Detail. By courtesy
of the Gemaldegalerie der Akademie der bildenden Kilnste, Vienna. 358
LXV. OTTO MARSEUS VAN SCHRIECK. Poppy with mushrooms. By courtesy of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. 358
LXVI. OTTO MARSEUS VAN SCHRIECK. Mushrooms. By courtesy of the Herzog Anton
Ulrich Museum, Brunswick. 358
LXVII. OTTO MARSEUS VAN SCHRIECK. Mushrooms. Detail. By courtesy of the Herzog
Anton Ulrich Museum, Brunswick. 358
LXVIII. PAOLO PORPORA, d. 1673. Still life. By courtesy of the Soprintendenza alle Gal-
lerie, Naples. 358
LXIX. ABRAHAM BEGEYN. Still life. By courtesy of the Galleria d'Arte Antica, Rome. 358
LXX. FRANS HAMILTON. Still life. By courtesy of the Bayerische Staatsgemaldesamm-
lungen, Munich. 358
LXXI. RACHEL RUYSCH. Still life. By courtesy of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. 358
LXXII. K W. TAMM. Still life. Private collection. 358
LXXIII. MELCHIOR DE HONDECOETER. Still life. By courtesy of the Rijksmuseum, Am
sterdam. 358
LXXIV. MELCHIOR DE HONDECOETER. Still life. By courtesy of the National Gallery,
London. 358
x
LIST OF PLATES
LXXV. SCHOOL OF ZURBARAN, lyth-iSth century. Chestnuts, cheese, grapes, al
monds, and mushrooms, sp. tricholoma personatum. By courtesy of the Art
Institute of Chicago. 358
LXXVI. Mushrooms. From a fresco found at Herculaneum, probably executed about
A.D. 50. By courtesy of the Museo Nazionale, Naples. 358
LXXVII. The dream. Woodcut after J.-J. Grandville. From the Magasin Pittoresque,
1847- 358
LXXVin.jEAN-FlENRi FABRE. Lactarius deliciosus Fr. ex Lin. 366
LXXIX. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Lactarius sanguifluus Fr. ex Paul. 366
LXXX. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Cantharellus cibarius Fr. 374
LXXXI. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Boletus scaber Fr. ex Bull. (B. leucophseus Pers.). 398
LXXXII. JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Coprinus atramentarius Fr. ex Bull. 398
JEAN-HENRI FABRE. Coprinus radiatus Fr. ex Bolt. 409
All the colored reproductions of water-colors by Jean-Henri Fabre and
Plates, xx, XL, XLI, LXXVI, were made by Daniel Jacomet, Paris. The
other plates were printed by Fratelli Alinari, Florence.
XI
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE TEXT

VOLUME I

1. Earliest reference to Russian fungi in English. Page from Russian-English
word-list of Richard James, 1619, citing five kinds of mushrooms without
English equivalents: ryzhik, guba, gruzd', volonitsa, grib. Oxford, Bodleian Li
brary, ms. James 43*. By courtesy of the Curators of the Bodleian Library. 34
2. Page from Theatrum chemicum Britannicum, by Elias Ashmole, London, 1652. 72
3. Robin Goodfellow. From The Mad Pranks and Merry Jests of Robin Goodfellow,
London, 1639. 83
4. Prince visiting fairy folk. From Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus, by Olaus
Magnus, Rome, 1555. 90
5. Fairy ring. From Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus, by Olaus Magnus,
Rome, 1555. 91
6. Description of Fomes officinalis. Last reported use in English of swamp in the
sense of mushroom, referring to fungal growth on larch. From Naturall Phi
losophic, by Daniel Widdowes, 2nd edition, London, 1631. 106
7. I5th century woodcut of the agaricum. From Hortus Sanitatis, Mainz, 1491. 119
8. Map showing distribution of fungal designation in Europe and Asia. 141
9. Roman Tom Fool. From an engraved onyx, reproduced by Thomas Wright
in A History of Caricature and Grotesque in Literature and Art, London, 1875. 165
10. Tuber. Woodcut from the Hortus Sanitatis, Mainz, 1491. 170
11. The Horned God. Prehistoric painting of man disguised as animal. Caverne
des Trois Freres, Montesquieu-Avantes, Ariege, France. 175
VOLUME II

12. Map of Central America. 217
13. Map of area of mushroom cult in i6th and i7th centuries. 229
14. Teo-nanacatl as represented by a i6th century Spanish artist. From Florentine
codex Med. Pal. 218-220 of Bernardino de Sahagun's Historia de las Cosas de
Nueva Espana. By courtesy of Biblioteca Laurenziana, Florence. 234
15. Teo-nanacatl as represented by a i6th century Mexican artist. From Magliabe-
chiano codex B. R. 232. By courtesy of Biblioteca Nazionale, Florence. 235
16. Map of the Province of Oaxaca, with the Wasson journeys. 247
XIII