DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1033#0047
THE ANCIENT BOTANY.
47
(3.) The jasmine {Jasminum sambac, L.), a native
of India. It must have been introduced into Egypt
prior to the time of the XXIst dynasty, as its flowers
have been found among a few fragments of wreaths
of that age preserved in the Natural History Museum
of Milan (F. Woenig, "Die Pflanze im Alten
yEgypten," p. 344). Three flowers alone occur in
Mr. Petrie's collection.
(4.) A Nubian species of heliotrope {Heliotropium
nubicum, L.). One wreath was found made entirely
of the twigs of this plant bound together by strips of
the leaves of the date-palm. It is still cultivated in
the warmer regions of the Upper Nile for its flowers,
which are intensely aromatic.
(5.) A species of convolvulus {Convolvulus spin-
osus, Burm.). This species, one flower of which was
discovered, is now only found growing in Lower
Belutchistan, in Affghanistan, and in the deserts of
Southern Persia (Boissier, " Fl. Or.," vol. iv, p. 87).
(6.) A species of iris {Iris sibirica, L.). Two
petals of this lovely plant were found bound into one
of the sweet marjoram wreaths, and their blue colour
when fresh must have contrasted admirably with the
pale green of the marjoram twigs. The plant is a
native of Northern Anatolia and of the Caucasus •
(Boissier, " Fl. Or.," vol. v, p. 126). It was known in
Egypt as early as the times of Thothmes III, for a
representation occurs of it among the plants depicted
on the walls of that monarch's plant-chamber at
Karnak. (See Mariette's " Karnak," PI. XXX.*)
(7.) The ivy {Hedera Helix, L.), a native of the
South of Europe. It was introduced into Europe by
the Greek colonists and is still cultivated in the
gardens of Middle and Lower Egypt.
The remaining six species of " garland-plants"
not included in my former list (see p. 53 of
" Havvara, Biahmu, and Arsinoe ") are all natives of
Egypt. They are : —
(1.) The white Egyptian water-lily {Nymphcea lotus,
Hook.).
(2.) The common field-poppy {PapaverRhmas, L.).
According to Dr. Schweinfurth this species is not
found in Upper Egypt and also appears to be absent
from the whole Nile Valley. It is, however, he says,
* Over fifty species of plants are figured on the walls of this
chamber of Thothmes III, and many of them are so exquisitely
carved that there is no difficulty in determining the genus, and
even in some cases the species, of plant represented. As
Mariette's drawings, however, do not at all do justice to the
original bas-reliefs, Mr. Petrie took in 1887, paper casts of the
originals, and these he has placed in my hands for publication.
still to be met with in abundance near Alexandria as
a weed growing in cornfields. In ancient Egypt
the plant seems to have had a wider distribution.
Its flowers have been found by Dr. Schweinfurth in
wreaths of the XXIst dynasty from Beir-el-Bahari,
and its seeds have been detected among barley of the
Xllth dynasty discovered at Kahun (see § 91).
(3.) Conyza Dioscoridi, L., a plant belonging to
the natural order Composites, and which still grows
wild in abundance in the Fayum..
(4.) Cressa cretica, L., a plant widely distributed in
the East from Peloponnesus to Belutchistan (Boissier,
" Fl. Or.," vol. iv, p. 114). Several wreaths were
made entirely of the twigs of this species.
(5.) A species of Convolvulus {C. hystrix, Vahl.)
which is still to be found growing in the Egyptian
deserts.
(6.) A species of Euphorbia {E. cegyptiaca, Boiss.),
widely distributed at the present day throughout
Middle and Upper Egypt.
Several fruits, fruit-stones, and seeds, of species not
included among the plant-remains found in 1888
have also been discovered by Mr. Petrie during the
second season's excavations at Hawara. These are:—
(1) Several seeds and fragment of leaves of the cab-
bage {Brassica oleracea, L.); (2) ten seeds of the
Moritiga aptera, Gaertn.; (3) four fruits of the nebak-
tree {Zisyphus spina-Cliristi, L.); (4) two pods and
several seeds of the carob-tree {Ceratonia siliqua, L.) ;
(5) a large quantity of lupins {Lupinus tenuis,
Forsk.); (6) five flat peas {Lathyrus sativus, L.);
(7) four almonds {Primus amygdalus, Hook.) ;
(8) three small fruits of the cherry {Primus cerasus,
L.) ; (9) several shrivelled fruits and leaves of the
mulberry {Morus nigra, L.) ; (10) one hazel nut
{Corylus avellanus, L.) ; (11) one onion {Allium cepa,
L.). The first of these plants—the cabbage—was
extensively cultivated in Egypt in Grseco-Roman
times. Athenasus (" Deipn.," I, i) tells us that among
the Egyptians it was the custom to eat boiled cab-
bage before all the rest of their food, and the same
author adds that they esteemed it as one of the most
delicate of all the vegetables known in ancient
times. The Moritiga aptera, though probably a
native of Egypt, was also cultivated in ancient times.
Its seeds were collected and from them was extracted
the Ben oil often mentioned in the old Egyptian
chemical receipts. The occurrence of pods and seeds
of the carob-tree are interesting, for Pliny (" H. N.,"
xiii, 16) says that the tree did not exist in Egypt,
but grew abundantly in Syria and Ionia, " in the
47
(3.) The jasmine {Jasminum sambac, L.), a native
of India. It must have been introduced into Egypt
prior to the time of the XXIst dynasty, as its flowers
have been found among a few fragments of wreaths
of that age preserved in the Natural History Museum
of Milan (F. Woenig, "Die Pflanze im Alten
yEgypten," p. 344). Three flowers alone occur in
Mr. Petrie's collection.
(4.) A Nubian species of heliotrope {Heliotropium
nubicum, L.). One wreath was found made entirely
of the twigs of this plant bound together by strips of
the leaves of the date-palm. It is still cultivated in
the warmer regions of the Upper Nile for its flowers,
which are intensely aromatic.
(5.) A species of convolvulus {Convolvulus spin-
osus, Burm.). This species, one flower of which was
discovered, is now only found growing in Lower
Belutchistan, in Affghanistan, and in the deserts of
Southern Persia (Boissier, " Fl. Or.," vol. iv, p. 87).
(6.) A species of iris {Iris sibirica, L.). Two
petals of this lovely plant were found bound into one
of the sweet marjoram wreaths, and their blue colour
when fresh must have contrasted admirably with the
pale green of the marjoram twigs. The plant is a
native of Northern Anatolia and of the Caucasus •
(Boissier, " Fl. Or.," vol. v, p. 126). It was known in
Egypt as early as the times of Thothmes III, for a
representation occurs of it among the plants depicted
on the walls of that monarch's plant-chamber at
Karnak. (See Mariette's " Karnak," PI. XXX.*)
(7.) The ivy {Hedera Helix, L.), a native of the
South of Europe. It was introduced into Europe by
the Greek colonists and is still cultivated in the
gardens of Middle and Lower Egypt.
The remaining six species of " garland-plants"
not included in my former list (see p. 53 of
" Havvara, Biahmu, and Arsinoe ") are all natives of
Egypt. They are : —
(1.) The white Egyptian water-lily {Nymphcea lotus,
Hook.).
(2.) The common field-poppy {PapaverRhmas, L.).
According to Dr. Schweinfurth this species is not
found in Upper Egypt and also appears to be absent
from the whole Nile Valley. It is, however, he says,
* Over fifty species of plants are figured on the walls of this
chamber of Thothmes III, and many of them are so exquisitely
carved that there is no difficulty in determining the genus, and
even in some cases the species, of plant represented. As
Mariette's drawings, however, do not at all do justice to the
original bas-reliefs, Mr. Petrie took in 1887, paper casts of the
originals, and these he has placed in my hands for publication.
still to be met with in abundance near Alexandria as
a weed growing in cornfields. In ancient Egypt
the plant seems to have had a wider distribution.
Its flowers have been found by Dr. Schweinfurth in
wreaths of the XXIst dynasty from Beir-el-Bahari,
and its seeds have been detected among barley of the
Xllth dynasty discovered at Kahun (see § 91).
(3.) Conyza Dioscoridi, L., a plant belonging to
the natural order Composites, and which still grows
wild in abundance in the Fayum..
(4.) Cressa cretica, L., a plant widely distributed in
the East from Peloponnesus to Belutchistan (Boissier,
" Fl. Or.," vol. iv, p. 114). Several wreaths were
made entirely of the twigs of this species.
(5.) A species of Convolvulus {C. hystrix, Vahl.)
which is still to be found growing in the Egyptian
deserts.
(6.) A species of Euphorbia {E. cegyptiaca, Boiss.),
widely distributed at the present day throughout
Middle and Upper Egypt.
Several fruits, fruit-stones, and seeds, of species not
included among the plant-remains found in 1888
have also been discovered by Mr. Petrie during the
second season's excavations at Hawara. These are:—
(1) Several seeds and fragment of leaves of the cab-
bage {Brassica oleracea, L.); (2) ten seeds of the
Moritiga aptera, Gaertn.; (3) four fruits of the nebak-
tree {Zisyphus spina-Cliristi, L.); (4) two pods and
several seeds of the carob-tree {Ceratonia siliqua, L.) ;
(5) a large quantity of lupins {Lupinus tenuis,
Forsk.); (6) five flat peas {Lathyrus sativus, L.);
(7) four almonds {Primus amygdalus, Hook.) ;
(8) three small fruits of the cherry {Primus cerasus,
L.) ; (9) several shrivelled fruits and leaves of the
mulberry {Morus nigra, L.) ; (10) one hazel nut
{Corylus avellanus, L.) ; (11) one onion {Allium cepa,
L.). The first of these plants—the cabbage—was
extensively cultivated in Egypt in Grseco-Roman
times. Athenasus (" Deipn.," I, i) tells us that among
the Egyptians it was the custom to eat boiled cab-
bage before all the rest of their food, and the same
author adds that they esteemed it as one of the most
delicate of all the vegetables known in ancient
times. The Moritiga aptera, though probably a
native of Egypt, was also cultivated in ancient times.
Its seeds were collected and from them was extracted
the Ben oil often mentioned in the old Egyptian
chemical receipts. The occurrence of pods and seeds
of the carob-tree are interesting, for Pliny (" H. N.,"
xiii, 16) says that the tree did not exist in Egypt,
but grew abundantly in Syria and Ionia, " in the