pp 317-345
Date:
Abstract
Portugal has a very rich
ethnozoological heritage due to its rich biodiversity, history, and
culture. However, there are very few works dedicated to this, and little
is known about the zootherapeutic remedies used in Portugal. Due to its
location in a biodiversity hotspot, its agro-pastoralist traditions and
also its role during the maritime discoveries of the Renaissance,
Portugal has a long list of animals and animal parts that have been used
in its folk medicine. These uses can still be found in many historical
documents and pharmacopeias. Although these uses started to decline in
the nineteenth century, many of them survived, being passed from
generation to generation by oral tradition, and are still used by local
populations. We can still find 225 remedies, using 54 animal species,
mainly domestic animals and common species, in use in modern day
Portugal. The use of some animals in traditional medicine, such as
Lataste’s viper, the Iberian wolf, and the European pond turtle, can be
an additional pressure on these already endangered species. Studies are
much needed to better understand zootherapeutic uses in Portuguese folk
medicine and their implications for conservation. This chapter intends
to be a starting point to these future investigations.
