As the golden face of Tutankhamun was found garlanded with fresh flowers exquisitely preserved for 3,000 years, the plants of ancient Egypt are brought back to life in this botanical exploration of the Pharaoh's tomb. Usually ignored by grave robbers intent on gold, the baskets, fabrics, papyri, timber, unguent vases, and model granaries filled to the brim with seeds that were buried with Tutankhamun have survived, completely intact, and each chapter of the book carries detailed descriptions of the plant species found or represented in the tomb, including emmer, fenugreek, chickpea, and types of reed and grass. F. Nigel Hepper groups the plants according to their uses, with categories such as Flowers and Leaves; Oils, Resins, and Perfumes; and Papyrus, Flax, and Other Fibrous Plants. This new edition of the fascinating book that was first published in 1990 has been fully updated to take into account recent finds and interpretations, and it features a revised and annotated further reading section, now with a guide to websites; a glossary of botanical terms; a new diagram of the tomb; additional illustrations; and a Bible references section, keyed to the main text and with quotations from the Old Testament that illuminate ancient botanical knowledge and practices.
Author(s): F. Nigel Hepper
Edition: 2nd
Publisher: KWS Publishers
Year: 2009
Language: English
Pages: xiv+87
City: Chicago, London
Pharaoh’s Flowers: The Botanical Treasures of Tutankhamun, 2nd Edition......Page 4
Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 8
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew......Page 9
Acknowledgements......Page 10
Chronological Chart of Ancient Egypt......Page 11
Map of Ancient Egypt......Page 13
Plan of the Tomb......Page 14
Diagram of the Shrines and Coffins......Page 15
The Life of Tutankhamun......Page 16
The Discovery of Tutankhamun’s
Treasures......Page 17
The Identification of Tutankhamun’s
Plant Material......Page 19
Some archaeological traps......Page 21
Living seeds?......Page 22
1 Flowers and Leaves......Page 23
Floral garlands and collars......Page 24
A garden scene with floral bouquets......Page 25
Lotus and papyrus motifs......Page 26
Anthemis pseudocotula......Page 28
Centaurea depressa......Page 29
Mimusops laurifolia (synonym M. schimperi)......Page 30
Picris asplenioides (synonym P. coronopifolia)......Page 31
Salix mucronata (synonym S. safsaf)......Page 32
Withania somnifera......Page 33
Oils......Page 34
Perfumes......Page 35
Mummification materials......Page 36
Acacia species......Page 37
Boswellia species......Page 38
Commiphora myrrha......Page 39
Moringa peregrina (synonym M. aptera)......Page 40
Ricinus communis......Page 41
Sesamum indicum......Page 42
Papyrus writing material......Page 44
Flax, linen and dyes......Page 45
Sandals......Page 46
Carthamus tinctorius......Page 47
Imperata cylindrica......Page 48
Linum usitatissimum......Page 49
Rubia tinctorum......Page 50
Typha domingensis (synonym T. australis)......Page 51
4 Trees and Wooden Objects......Page 52
Thrones, chairs and stools......Page 53
Model ships......Page 55
Wooden bows and reed arrows......Page 58
Abies cilicica......Page 59
Cedrus libani......Page 60
Dalbergia melanoxylon......Page 61
Liquidambar orientalis......Page 62
Tamarix aphylla......Page 63
Ulmus minor......Page 64
Wine and wine-jars......Page 65
Vegetables, herbs and spices......Page 66
Cereals......Page 67
A model granary......Page 68
An Osiris bed......Page 69
Cicer arietinum......Page 70
Cocculus hirsutus......Page 71
Coriandrum sativum......Page 72
Ficus sycomorus......Page 73
Hyphaene thebaica......Page 74
Juniperus species......Page 75
Nigella sativa......Page 76
Punica granatum......Page 77
Trigonella foenum-graecum......Page 79
Triticum dicoccum......Page 81
Vitis vinifera......Page 82
Ziziphus spina-christi......Page 83
Books cited......Page 84
Plant Species......Page 85
Egyptology and Plants: introductory......Page 91
History of Food and Farming......Page 92
Web Resources......Page 93
Glossary......Page 94
Bible References......Page 95
Index......Page 97
