Birch (sacred tree), and man.
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Although the ancients did not know much about its curative powers, they used to use which earned him the title of tree of wisdom. Its twigs were used to make rods to correct the recalcitrant students and get to know it by force
Native Americans saw Birch as a sacred tree and used the bark to make canoes and scrolls.
Similarly, Pliny (natural history, XVI, 30) tells us that it was used to make the bundles of the lictors to Rome – sacred weapons, only available within the city, where there were banned weapons in metal
It is him we find logically on our passport as the arms of the Republic – even if he is surrounded by oak and olive branches to symbolize justice and peace. This perception of severe and Latin Birch contrast, amazed, that are found in Scandinavia and Russia. It is the olivier of the North, the national tree of the Russia where it is called the “well of the people”, because it gives the heat, light and, of course, healing through its SAP. In Russia, the Birch is considered to be the national tree and is celebrated each year during green week in early June.
In these regions, the fairies inhabit and lovers engrave their names on its bark. It is also used to make furniture, parquet, skis, lightweight plywood for aircraft, of paper pulp. Excellent fuel, it is very appreciated for its coal.
In the druidic tradition, the winter solstice Yule log was birch, wood burning even wet. A broom in Birch – the best in the world again today – away the spirits of the past year and “beat the limits” of the property for the protection. The cradles in Birch also protected babies from evil.
The tree was revered in Russia as a goddess during the “Green Week”, early June. The handsome men then wore charms, crosses and amulets in Birch to protect themselves from the rusalkas, particularly dangerous nymphs during this period. The local name of the Birch is also the origin of the name of the month of March in several Slavic languages, such as Czech (březen) and and
Ukrainian (березень); It would be an evocation of the SAP which started to circulate at this time.
Finally, if the ash (ask) is the tree symbolizing the Scandinavian mythologies, Birch (Björk or bjerk) is a nationalist symbol Norwegian, used many times by romantic painters. Johan Christian Dahl is one of his most famous paintings, Bjerk i storm (birch in the storm) representing a birch tree on a cliff and manhandled by the wind.
