HERB - bases for herbs

[Mike C. Baker]

> I'm developing a class and documentation for a variety of salve,
> ointment, and balm bases used for herbal prepartions throughout
> our periods and prior to them. Various fats and oils appear to be
> most common so far as my research takes me, but I've found
reference
> to feces (goose, in particular). Can anyone think of any other
> kinds of bases I might be missing in addition to these?

By extending into potentially prehistoric, I would encourage that
you 
also consider materials which we now know to also be either active 
or dangerous, but which would have been used as carriers / "bases.

Common water? Water from specific springs, pools, streams, etc.?
Ground vegetable matter (wood, sap, etc.)?
Other ground / macerated organics (bone meal, brains, etc.)?
Quicksilver? 
Blood? Urine? Other natural organic fluids?
Talc or other powdered minerals? 
Common Salt? Sea Salt? 
Other, more specific, metal salts?

Mike C. Baker
SCA: Amr ibn Majid al-Bakri al-Amra (Steppes, Ansteorra)
"Other": Kihe Blackeagle (the Dreamsinger Bard)
My opinions are my own -- who else would want them?
e-mail: kihe at ticnet.com OR kihe at rocketmail.com


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