The Cedar of
Lebanon, Cedrus libani, is an evergreen of the family Pinaceae.
This coniferous plant was first found in Lebanon, on the Mount
Lebanon range at Sannine, Barrouk, and the eastern and western
mountain chains. The Mount Lebanon chain used to be almost
completely covered with cedars.
Religion, poetry and history have all equally celebrated them. The
Arabs entertain a traditional veneration for these trees,
attributing to them a vegetative power which enable them to live
eternally, and an intelligence which causes them to manifest signs
of wisdom and foresight. They are said to understand the changes of
the seasons as they stir their vast branches, inclining them
towards heaven or earth accordingly as the snow proposes to fall or
melt. It is said that the snows have no sooner begun to fall then
these Cedars turn their branches to rise insensibly, gathering
their points upwards, forming, as it were, a pyramid or parasol.
Assuming this new shape, they can sustain the immense weight of
snow remaining upon them for so long.
The importance of the Cedar of Lebanon to the various civilizations
is conveyed through its uses. The Egyptians used its resin to
mummify their dead and thus called it the "life of death", and
cedar sawdust was found in the tombs of the Pharaohs as well.
Pharaohs and Pagans had the tradition of burning the cedar coming
from Lebanon with their offerings and in their ceremonies. Jew
priests however, were ordered by Moses to use the peel of the
Lebanese Cedar in circumcision and treatment of leprosy. According
to the Talmud, Jews used to burn Lebanese cedar wood on the
mountain of olives announcing the beginning of the New Year.
The superb qualities of the Cedar wood as beautiful colour,
hardness, exquisite fragrance, resistance to insects, humidity and
temperature, incited Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks and many others
to use it extensively. The Phoenicians built their trade ship and
military fleets from Cedar wood as well as the roofs of their
temples, houses and doorsills. Kings of neighbouring and distant
countries asked for this wood to build their religious and civil
constructions. The most famous of which are the temple of Jerusalem
and David's and Solomon's Palaces. It was also used in the temples
and furniture works of the Assyrians and Babylonians. Greeks,
Latins and Romans had their share of Cedar wood which they praise
and have pride in.
This has inadvertantly turned into a series covering specimen trees
in and around Stirling.
If you are interested in communing with Nature, learning about
trees, or just bagging a cache give them a visit.
The others in the series are –
The Big Sycamores GC1EDN4
The Sequiadendron giganteum of Gillies Hill GC1H74Q
Sylvester, the Scots Pine GC1EDNP
The Sequiadendron giganteum of Beechwood. The juveniles.
GC1H65Z
This one, The Cedar of Lebanon GC1H94V
The Perfect Tree GC1FC71
The Pedunculate Oak of Touch GC1H9XD
and Sequoia sempervirens. GC1HDY4
