Wormwood in Witchcraft and War: From Babylon to Balkan Graves
Wormwood has never been a gentle herb.
Mentioned in the Bible, feared by medieval priests, and planted on Balkan graves long before borders or countries existed, Artemisia carries an ancient power. Bitterness isn’t just its flavor — it’s its weapon.
Babylonian Blood and Bitter Gods
The earliest written records of wormwood go back to Babylon. Known to the Sumerians and Akkadians as a sacred herb, Artemisia was burned in offerings to gods and used in rituals to drive out illness — or demons. It’s no accident that bitterness was linked to purification: the more bitter the herb, the more potent its spirit-cleansing power.
Even then, it wasn’t just about healing — it was about power. Rituals involving wormwood were often hidden, secretive, and not meant for common use. This plant wasn’t for the weak.
European Witch Trials — and Who Survived
During the European witch hunts, millions of women were burned. But in the Balkans, something different happened.
Balkan witches — or babaroge, vračare, travarke — survived. Why?
Because they served the people. When a baby was sick, when milk soured, when war came to the village — it was the village witch people turned to. They used wormwood to banish evil eyes, cleanse the dead, or guard thresholds.
The plant was often buried with the dead, especially women. Its bitterness kept evil spirits from following the soul — or the body from rising again.
Wormwood in Folk Magic
In Balkan folk magic, pelin (wormwood) is used for:
- Protection: Hung over doors, carried in pockets
- Dreamwork: Burned or brewed before sleep to induce visions
- Love-breaking: Used in rituals to sever toxic bonds
- Anti-curse baths: Steeped and poured over the body to remove the evil eye
Today, we know at least 200 species of Artemisia, but the most infamous are:
- Artemisia absinthium (bitter wormwood)
- Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort)
- Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood or qinghao)
Each has its place in folk medicine, but also in magical practice.
Artemisia annua — Modern and Ancient
While Artemisia annua is celebrated today for its antimalarial properties (and controversial cancer use), traditional healers long before labs used it for fevers, spirits, and clearing “bad blood.”
Its light green color and bitter bite still make it a powerful plant ally for witches who walk the line between healing and hexing.
A Witch’s Warning
Wormwood is not gentle. It teaches through discomfort, purifies through bitterness, and forces clarity. If you work with it, do so with respect. It’s been used to poison kings, spark revolutions (hello absinthe!), and clear graveyards of unrest.
Final Thought
Wormwood isn’t a soft herb. It doesn’t sing lullabies. It howls.
And that howl — from Babylon to the Balkans — still echoes in the hands of those who dare to work with it.
Do you work with wormwood? Want to share a ritual, dream, or folk story passed down in your family? Drop it in the comments or message me — I’m always collecting tales from the dark green corners of the world.