Absinthe (Artemisia absinthium)

$45.00

Handcrafted collage art on a ceramic 5.75 x 5-75 inch tile with several layers of modge podge and a final coat of epoxy resin with lime green glitter. The glitter adds a subtle sparkle in the light.  The back of the tile contains a sawtooth hanger and 4 circle felt pads to protect your wall and furniture. 

Wormwood is the notorious thujone-containing herb blamed for the purported narcotic effects of Absinthe (Artemisia absinthium). The name absinthum may come from a word meaning “unenjoyable” referring to the bitter taste. The name wormwood refers to the historic use of this plant as a cure for intestinal worms. In small quantities, wormwood is said to stimulate the appetite and the mind, but in larger quantities, which vary by individual tolerance, wormwood can cause anything from headaches and nervousness to insomnia, to convulsions. Wormwood is used primarily for banishing and protection spells.

Absinthe is a very strong alcoholic beverage that is usually diluted with ice water and melted sugar before drinking. The absinthe drinking craze in the mid-1800s caused the quality of the drink to decline. Many artists, poets, and visionaries of the time were absinthe-drinkers. Absinthe was is purported to be highly addictive and to have psychoactive properties, commonly believed to be caused by the thujone content, from the wormwood, although it only contains trace amounts. Absinthe was banned in the US and parts of Europe due to its reputation but has enjoyed a revival since the 1990s when the European Union adopted new food and beverage laws. While it is illegal to import any alcoholic beverage containing wormwood or thujone into the United States and the FDA does not allow wormwood in any product to be sold for human consumption, absinthe has returned to the liquor store and bar shelves, it simply lacks its signature thujone.