The Aspen in History and Folklore

The Aspen tree was considered sacred to Mother Earth in pre Hellenic Greece and golden headdresses of Aspen leaves were excavated at Mesopotamian burials sites of 3000BC, giving the Aspen Tree some connection to death and the afterlife.
It is also said that the cross of Jesus was made of Aspen wood and in highland Scotland the wood was considered sacred for this reason, so much so that babies teething rings were made of Aspen to give the child protection.
The Aspen is also known as the Shield-makers tree because of the strength and durability of the wood.
Yellow and black dye was obtained from the young leaves and brown from the bark.
Aspen is one of the few surviving trees left in Orkney and the outer islands