Every Scottish Highland clan has their own wild plant badge. The plant badge is symbolic of the clan's homeland, which the warriors defended with their lives. The wearing of the plant badge was an essential lucky charm, thought to offer the magical protection of the land herself. Many clans chose plants common to their own ground like heather or pine, but Wild Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum) is the plant badge of the ancient Clan Arthur.
The direct translation of the Gaelic name for Wild Thyme, lus mhic righ Bhreatainn, is 'Plant belonging to the King of Britain's son!' This is just one more of the many fragments of evidence that support the ancient MacArthur claim to 'King' Arthur as their patriarch.
Wild Thyme was also known as 'King's Plant' because the ancient nobility favoured the aroma for calming pre-battle nerves. The name Thyme is derived from the Greek for courage or strength. A natural antiseptic, the herb could also be used during battle to reduce swelling from wounds, and was added to the ritual post battle bath to help wash away the sorrows of conflict - Truly a warrior amongst herbs.
A plant ruled by the planets of Venus and the Sun, Thyme helps to combat headaches, hangovers and coughs. In magical terms, it is burned in incense to purify an area, however, the travelling folk consider Thyme very unlucky as it is reputed to grow only where violent death has occurred!
On a recent excursion to Tir Artair (Arthur's Land) on Loch Tay side, I had no difficulty in locating this remarkable plant growing wild on Creag Tir Artair (The Rocks of Arthur's Land). The virtue of Clan Arthur's badge has been immortalised in the ever-popular Scottish folk song recently released by top Scottish band The Silencers:
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O' the summer time is coming And the trees are sweetly blooming And the wild mountain thyme Rolls around the purple heather Will you go lassie go? And we'll all go together To pluck wild mountain thyme All around the purple heather Will you go lassie go? |
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