DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1034#0056
ON THE VEGETABLE REMAINS DISCOVERED IN THE CEMETERY OF HAWARA. 51
the time of the XVIIIth dynasty, however, it was
generally cultivated in Egypt; indeed, we find the
Israelites speak indirectly of Egypt as " a land of figs,
vines, and pomegranates" (Num. xx. 5). At an
early period the tree abounded in Palestine, which
is clearly indicated from the fact that cities and
districts received their names from it. (See Num. xiii.
23 ; Deut. viii. 8 ; 1 Sam. xiv. 2 ; Joel i. 12 ; Hagg.
ii. 10 ; Cant. iv. 3 ; vii. 12, etc. ; comp. also Niebuhr.
Beschreibung, etc., p. 148). The ancient Egyptian
name of the pomegranate (Ι ΓΡ A an ]m lnen (also
sometimes spelt 111 1
Papy. Harris I. 16a. 10, etc. = Coptic ερΑΑΛΥ)
also throws some light on this subject ; it is a word,
not of Egyptian, but of Aramaic origin. It is in-
teresting to note that the peel of the fruit was
recognised as medicinal by the ancient Egyptians.
It is often noted in the Ebers Papyrus (see pi. xvi. 16,
etc.).
Two seeds of the Castor-oil {Ricinus communis, L.)
also occur in Mr Petrie's collection. On these two
seeds the brownish bands and spots with which the
shining grey epidermis is marked may still be clearly
made out. The seeds, which are of a compressed
ellipsoid form, are 13^2 mm. in length, and 8 mm. in
breadth. They were gathered, however, when not
quite ripe, for on one of them being cut open and
microscopically examined, there was found a row of
encrusted, almost colourless cells deposited in a radial
direction on the testa. In mature seeds, Gris long
ago pointed out {Ann. d. Sc. Nat., xv. 1861, 5-9), this
layer of cells is not perceptible, and therefore appears
to perish as the seed ripens. This plant is a native
of India, and must have been introduced, at an early
period, into Egypt. It was chiefly cultivated by the
Egyptians for its oil, and is often alluded to by old
authors (the κικι of Herodotus, ii. 94, Strabo, etc. ; the
Tekem of the Egyptians, see Ztschr. fur Agypt.
Sprache, 1879, p. 92, and Revue Egyptologique, 1884,
p. 119). It was also esteemed for its medicinal pro-
perties, as is shown by a " Catalogue of its uses " in
the Ebers Papyrus (f. 47).
62. II. Of the plants which were introduced into,
and cultivated in, Egypt, for the beauty of their
flowers or for their aromatic odour, the following are
represented in this collection : (1) the Lychnis cmli-
rosa, L.; (2) the myrtle {Myrtus communis, L.); (3)
a species of Immortelle {Gnaphalium luteo-album,
L.)' (4) the woody nightshade {Solanum dulcamara,
L.) • (5) the sweet marjoram {Origanum Majorana,
L.) ; (6) the Celosia argentea, L. ; (7) the bay laurel
{Laurus nobilis, L.) ; and (8) the polyanthus narcissus
{Narcissus Tazetta, L.). The first of these plants was
one of the favourite " garland-plants " of the Greeks.
It is often mentioned by the early poets (see Athen.
xv. 27-31), and was, according to Theophrastus,
cultivated for its flowers. It is not a native of Egypt,
but was in all probability introduced from Cyprus or
from Greece, where it still grows wild in abundance.
In ancient times it was found in the "greatest per-
fection in Cyprus and Lemnos, and also in Stromboli
and near Mount Eryx and at Cythera" {Atlien. xv.
29). The myrtle was another plant much used by
the ancients in wreath-making. Several twigs, with
the leaves still attached, are in Mr Petrie's collection.
The leaves still retain their aromatic odour, and it is
interesting to note that Pliny mentions the myrtle of
Egypt as the " most odoriferous" {Ν. H., xv. 29).
The tree is a native of the temperate parts of Western
Asia, and was probably, at an early period, introduced
from thence into Egypt. Several wreaths, composed
entirely of flowers of the Gnaphalium hiteo-album, were
found in the Hawara cemetery. This species has
generally been considered as a native of Egypt, but
this is doubtful. Dr Schweinfurth mentions that it
" follows the black earth of culture," and that it
" generally haunts the temporarily established habita-
tions of the Bedouins" {Stir la Flora des Anciens
Jardins Arabes d'Egypte. Appendix, note 2). It is
rarely met with in Egypt. On the other hand, it
grows wild, in great profusion, in Asia Minor. The
berries of the woody nightshade were largely used
in the wreaths, and must have added much to the
general effect by their brilliant hue. They were
generally threaded on thin strips of the leaves of the
date-palm, the ends of which were turned down and
fastened into the wreaths. Pliny mentions that these
berries "were used in Egypt for chaplets." This
plant was undoubtedly introduced from Greece.
Three wreaths composed of twigs of the sweet
marjoram were also found. These twigs are in a
wonderful state of preservation, although they have
lost all trace of their aromatic odour. A microscopical
examination of the ovate greyish-green leaves, covered
on both sides with thin down, show that this species
existed in exactly the same form two thousand years
ago as it does now. The plant is a native of Greece,
and was introduced into Egypt from thence. The
flowers of the polyanthus narcissus are also in a
wonderful state of preservation, and do aot differ in
the smallest degree from modern specimens. This
plant was probably introduced from Palestine, where
it now occurs in great abundance.
the time of the XVIIIth dynasty, however, it was
generally cultivated in Egypt; indeed, we find the
Israelites speak indirectly of Egypt as " a land of figs,
vines, and pomegranates" (Num. xx. 5). At an
early period the tree abounded in Palestine, which
is clearly indicated from the fact that cities and
districts received their names from it. (See Num. xiii.
23 ; Deut. viii. 8 ; 1 Sam. xiv. 2 ; Joel i. 12 ; Hagg.
ii. 10 ; Cant. iv. 3 ; vii. 12, etc. ; comp. also Niebuhr.
Beschreibung, etc., p. 148). The ancient Egyptian
name of the pomegranate (Ι ΓΡ A an ]m lnen (also
sometimes spelt 111 1
Papy. Harris I. 16a. 10, etc. = Coptic ερΑΑΛΥ)
also throws some light on this subject ; it is a word,
not of Egyptian, but of Aramaic origin. It is in-
teresting to note that the peel of the fruit was
recognised as medicinal by the ancient Egyptians.
It is often noted in the Ebers Papyrus (see pi. xvi. 16,
etc.).
Two seeds of the Castor-oil {Ricinus communis, L.)
also occur in Mr Petrie's collection. On these two
seeds the brownish bands and spots with which the
shining grey epidermis is marked may still be clearly
made out. The seeds, which are of a compressed
ellipsoid form, are 13^2 mm. in length, and 8 mm. in
breadth. They were gathered, however, when not
quite ripe, for on one of them being cut open and
microscopically examined, there was found a row of
encrusted, almost colourless cells deposited in a radial
direction on the testa. In mature seeds, Gris long
ago pointed out {Ann. d. Sc. Nat., xv. 1861, 5-9), this
layer of cells is not perceptible, and therefore appears
to perish as the seed ripens. This plant is a native
of India, and must have been introduced, at an early
period, into Egypt. It was chiefly cultivated by the
Egyptians for its oil, and is often alluded to by old
authors (the κικι of Herodotus, ii. 94, Strabo, etc. ; the
Tekem of the Egyptians, see Ztschr. fur Agypt.
Sprache, 1879, p. 92, and Revue Egyptologique, 1884,
p. 119). It was also esteemed for its medicinal pro-
perties, as is shown by a " Catalogue of its uses " in
the Ebers Papyrus (f. 47).
62. II. Of the plants which were introduced into,
and cultivated in, Egypt, for the beauty of their
flowers or for their aromatic odour, the following are
represented in this collection : (1) the Lychnis cmli-
rosa, L.; (2) the myrtle {Myrtus communis, L.); (3)
a species of Immortelle {Gnaphalium luteo-album,
L.)' (4) the woody nightshade {Solanum dulcamara,
L.) • (5) the sweet marjoram {Origanum Majorana,
L.) ; (6) the Celosia argentea, L. ; (7) the bay laurel
{Laurus nobilis, L.) ; and (8) the polyanthus narcissus
{Narcissus Tazetta, L.). The first of these plants was
one of the favourite " garland-plants " of the Greeks.
It is often mentioned by the early poets (see Athen.
xv. 27-31), and was, according to Theophrastus,
cultivated for its flowers. It is not a native of Egypt,
but was in all probability introduced from Cyprus or
from Greece, where it still grows wild in abundance.
In ancient times it was found in the "greatest per-
fection in Cyprus and Lemnos, and also in Stromboli
and near Mount Eryx and at Cythera" {Atlien. xv.
29). The myrtle was another plant much used by
the ancients in wreath-making. Several twigs, with
the leaves still attached, are in Mr Petrie's collection.
The leaves still retain their aromatic odour, and it is
interesting to note that Pliny mentions the myrtle of
Egypt as the " most odoriferous" {Ν. H., xv. 29).
The tree is a native of the temperate parts of Western
Asia, and was probably, at an early period, introduced
from thence into Egypt. Several wreaths, composed
entirely of flowers of the Gnaphalium hiteo-album, were
found in the Hawara cemetery. This species has
generally been considered as a native of Egypt, but
this is doubtful. Dr Schweinfurth mentions that it
" follows the black earth of culture," and that it
" generally haunts the temporarily established habita-
tions of the Bedouins" {Stir la Flora des Anciens
Jardins Arabes d'Egypte. Appendix, note 2). It is
rarely met with in Egypt. On the other hand, it
grows wild, in great profusion, in Asia Minor. The
berries of the woody nightshade were largely used
in the wreaths, and must have added much to the
general effect by their brilliant hue. They were
generally threaded on thin strips of the leaves of the
date-palm, the ends of which were turned down and
fastened into the wreaths. Pliny mentions that these
berries "were used in Egypt for chaplets." This
plant was undoubtedly introduced from Greece.
Three wreaths composed of twigs of the sweet
marjoram were also found. These twigs are in a
wonderful state of preservation, although they have
lost all trace of their aromatic odour. A microscopical
examination of the ovate greyish-green leaves, covered
on both sides with thin down, show that this species
existed in exactly the same form two thousand years
ago as it does now. The plant is a native of Greece,
and was introduced into Egypt from thence. The
flowers of the polyanthus narcissus are also in a
wonderful state of preservation, and do aot differ in
the smallest degree from modern specimens. This
plant was probably introduced from Palestine, where
it now occurs in great abundance.