booknotice (occasioned by Civility on the List: "heresy" discussion)

[Stephen Hodge]

Jan E.M. Houben wrote:

> On pp. 260 ff.
> the Soma-plant is identified as the European Mountain Ash or Rowan
tree
> (Sorbus Aucuparia), whereas the Haoma is distinctly identified as
the Golden
> Ash or Fraxinus Excelsior Aurea (p. 279), in my view on very flimsy
grounds,
> and without even mentioning one of the major theories among
Indologists for
> several decades which identifies Soma/Haoma as Ephedra (the Amonita
muscaria
> theory is mentioned

There is also the theory presented by David Stoppard Flattery and
Martin Schwarz in their "Haoma and Harmaline" that Haoma / Soma was
the harmel plant, based on Iranian sources.  This theory also explains
why ephedra is often linked to Soma -- you need it in combination with
harmeline to stay alert / awake.  Seems more convincing to me than the
Amanita muscaria theory.

Best wishes,
Stephen Hodge