Petroselinum crispum, commonly known as parsley, is a staple of global cuisine. However, the history of this Mediterranean native is layered with cultural and symbolic significance that extends far beyond its modern role as a garnish or seasoning. For millennia, various civilizations have imbued the plant with complex meanings, transforming its delicate leaves into symbols of life, death, honor, and superstition.
Symbolism in Ancient Greece and Rome
The earliest symbolic meanings of parsley in classical antiquity were intertwined with death and remembrance. Ancient Greeks frequently used the herb in funeral rites, decorating tombs and graves with its perpetually green sprigs as a tribute to the deceased. This somber association stemmed from a myth involving the infant prince Archemorus, who was killed by a serpent. Parsley was said to have sprung from his blood, linking the plant to sorrow and the underworld.
This connection was so strong that the Greek phrase, “to be in need of parsley,” was a polite way of saying a person was gravely ill or close to death. Despite these funereal ties, parsley also represented honor and fleeting victory in commemorative athletic events. At the Nemean Games, established to honor the deceased Archemorus, victors were crowned with wreaths of parsley rather than the olive branches used at the Olympics.
The Romans adopted some of these traditions but also developed unique uses. While they dedicated the plant to Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, they also incorporated its greenery into celebrations. Romans wore parsley wreaths at feasts, believing the herb could prevent intoxication. They also used the plant in wedding ceremonies, where wreaths protected the couple against evil spirits.
Folklore of the Middle Ages
As the classical era waned, the symbolic interpretation of parsley shifted, dominated by widespread folk beliefs and superstitions. The herb’s notoriously slow and erratic germination was the source of enduring European folklore. Gardeners believed a parsley seed had to travel to the Devil and back, sometimes cited as seven or nine times, before it would consent to grow. Ungerminated seeds were thus thought to have been kept by the Devil himself.
This link to a malevolent force cemented the plant’s reputation as tricky or dangerous to cultivate. Another common superstition warned against transplanting parsley once it had taken root. Moving the plant was thought to offend the herb’s spirit, leading to misfortune or a death in the gardener’s family within the year. This belief likely arose from the plant’s actual difficulty in surviving transplantation.
The herb’s mysterious nature also connected it to witchcraft and the supernatural. In some regions, it was believed that only witches could successfully germinate the seeds. Conversely, some folklore suggested that planting the seeds could only be done safely on Good Friday, the one day the Devil held no jurisdiction over the soil. The plant was thus seen as both a harbinger of death and a powerful protective element when used correctly.
Religious and Contemporary Interpretations
The herb maintains a formalized, symbolic role in the Jewish tradition, distinct from ancient superstitions. Parsley is used as the Karpas on the Passover Seder plate, dipped into salt water before being eaten. As a green vegetable, the parsley represents the hope of spring and the initial flourishing of the Israelites during their early years in Egypt.
The act of dipping the sprig into salt water introduces a dual symbolism. The salt water represents the tears shed by the enslaved Israelites during their suffering, contrasting the freshness of the parsley with the bitterness of the bondage. This ritual use transforms the plant into a reminder of both rebirth and historical pain.
In modern, secular culture, the symbolic meaning of parsley has largely been domesticated and simplified. It is now primarily viewed as a sign of freshness and health, frequently used as a garnish or as a source of vitamins A, C, and K.