Research interlude
Mis-heard words, rabbit holes, and the earth-hair fruit
The Egyptologist wrote back. I feel strangely giddy that he is responding to me. What if the Greek misheard the Egyptian or guessed at the spelling incorrectly? he posits.
Instead of aschat, maybe ished, the “d” being pronounced as a “t” in later periods.
This is how I spend my morning——chasing down ished.
I love the search, but I am not a researcher. I am, truth be told, haphazard and a little manic about following the rabbit down, down, down its hole.
Ished, turns out, is likely Balanites aegyptiaca (also known as the Egyptian balsam). But it is also sometimes just “fruit,” in the generic sense.
In the Papyrus Ebers, ished seems to be included in remedies for urinary tract issues and coughing; also as an abortifacient and potential a carrier oil for other medicines.
I’m convinced that some species of Plantago is in this text and hasn’t been translated. Probably not ished, no.
Tomorrow, I’m moving on to Seeds-from-the-blossoms-of-the-plants-from-the-earth and earth-hair fruit.
xx