Spatholado: The Ruby Healing Oil
In Ancient Greece, herbs were more than remedies — they were teachers. Hippocrates, Dioscorides, and Theophrastus all wrote about the golden flower we now call St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum). They praised it for its wound-healing power, its ability to calm the nerves, and its protective qualities.
Over centuries, this wisdom flowed into Greek folk medicine, where St John’s Wort became known as spatholado (spah-THOH-lah-tho) — the “sword oil.” Traditionally, the blossoms were steeped in olive oil under the summer sun until the liquid turned a deep crimson red. This oil was kept in households as a multipurpose healer: for cuts, burns, scars, and aches.
Tradition and Folklore
The name “sword oil” comes from its use on battle wounds. In villages across Greece, families still prepare jars of spatholado each June, when the plant blooms around St John’s Day. Its red hue was seen as a sign of life and renewal — medicine that was both symbolic and practical.
The Science Today
Modern research confirms much of what tradition observed:
Anti-inflammatory: helps support wound healing and calm irritation.
Antimicrobial: protects against infection in minor cuts and burns.
Nerve-soothing: studied for neuralgia and nerve-related discomfort.
Internally, St John’s Wort is also one of the most researched herbs for mild to moderate depression. But because it interacts with many medications, it should never be taken internally without professional guidance.
How It Lives On
In Greece today, bottles of this ruby-red oil can still be found in village markets, herbal shops, and kitchen cupboards. It’s often the first remedy reached for when someone scrapes a knee, burns a finger, or needs relief from sore muscles. I often use it myself for sunburn.
Spatholado is a living link between the writings of Hippocrates and the practices of modern herbalism — a reminder that ancient remedies can still hold a place in our everyday lives.
Sev’s Final Thoughts
For me, spatholado is Greek village medicine at its best: a simple plant, prepared with care, passed down through generations. It’s proof that sometimes the most powerful remedies aren’t new at all — they’re the ones we’ve trusted for centuries.
Sev xx
