The medieval folk book, which is present in almost all literatures of the East and West and is known under the name Physiologus, has the object of giving certain stories from the natural kingdom a typological-mystical, and later usually an allegorical-moral, interpretation. Although the natural-historical and legendary element from the animal kingdom plays the main role, the plant kingdom has not been neglected either, just as the author has not refrained from making the magical powers of certain gemstones serve his purposes. So the 4th oldest Physiologus contains at least beginnings of the literature on medicine and wonder books that go under the name of herbal and lapidary that played an important role in the Middle Ages. Finally the oldest Physiologus has a few examples of a genus that is closely related to the wonderful effects of certain stones against illness, demons and evil creatures; these are cases of medical effects of animal components, which is later mentioned in bestiaries and encyclopedic works ... but is particularly well represented in the collections of miracle and secret remedy recipes. - [Author]

Language: German