The Greek Herbal of Dioscorides.
New York: Hafner Publishing Company, 1968. Facsimile reprint. Hardcover. Large octavo. 702 pp. Original dark blue cloth with gilt title etc to spine, frontis, b&w illustrations, tables. The first English language translation of "De Materia Medica" of Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40 – 90 AD), the great encylopadia of herbal medicine and related medicinal substances that provided the source material for generations of Western herbalists - its influence arguably still strongly present in many of the herbals of today. The translation was undertaken by the great botanist of Petersfield, John Goodyer, in the 1650s but remained unpublished until 1934, when Robert T. Gunther edited and published the text, coupling them with illustrations prepared by an unknown Byzantine artist, circa A.D. 512. The 1934 edition was limited to 350 copies, "Printed By John Johnson For The Author At The University Press, Oxford," this is the second facsimile reprint edition (Hafner: New York, 1968). Ex-library but with NO markings save for an ink stamped library name to each of the edges of the text-block. Corners and spine ends bruised and a bit rubbed, spine slightly darkened and rubbed - bright and clean inside, no marks. Overall a solid, clean, better than VG copy. Item #56845
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