preface
Sycamore existed in all Egyptian provinces, both in upper and lower Egypt and in the oases. It was considered one of the most important and popular fruit trees. She was clearly considered a manifestation of the nut goddess.
The sycamore ficus is an ancient tree cultivated in Egypt since the third millennium BC. This
the tree can reach a height of 20-25 meters, a trunk circumference of 6 meters, and a dense, spreading crown of branches that offer delightful shade up to several hundred square meters.
One of the peculiarities of this tree is its fruits – pink, plum figs arranged in clusters – they grow directly on the trunk. This fig tree is native to Africa and is also found in Lebanon, Cyprus, and the southern Arabian Peninsula.
The ancient Egyptians cultivated this tree extensively, which they called the “tree of love.” The fruit, twig, and sycamore wood are represented in the tombs of the early, middle and late kingdoms, ”he says.
There are many reasons to explain why the ancient Egyptians were so fascinated by sycamore. First of all, it encouraged you to rest under the tree where you could enjoy the shade of its dense vegetation, freshness, wind; figs have been recognized as a way to lower blood sugar and have a spicy taste.
Secondly, tree bark and latex were used for many purposes, some for medicinal purposes because rubbed on the epidermis is effective in treating skin diseases; thirdly, sycamore hardwood was used for fuel, the softest part was used for carving and furniture making, and the leaves were good pet food.
“Sycamore wood was used for the coffins and furniture of the deceased in their groves.” The ancient Egyptians also placed sycamore fruit in their tombs as a votive offering to the dead.
However, sycamore no longer reproduces naturally in Egypt because the insect responsible for pollinating the tree has died out “the wasp responsible for transferring pollen from one tree to another is extinct, the reproduction of the tree is also hindered by the fact that it does not produce the right amount, but little that can be collected from fruit, has an average life span.
According to scientists, they assure that “this is an artificial way to multiply this tree, but only a few hundred pieces are currently growing in Egypt, which. is an artificial way of multiplying this tree “however,
only a few hundred people still grow in Egypt today, but the original functions of the tree are still highly appreciated today:” this tree is still a symbol of ancient Egypt “considered.” rare, “a sycamore tree that grew in every village in Egypt has now been reduced to a few hundred. However, the Ministry of the Environment does not currently have a rescue project.
In Cairo, beautiful specimens of sycamore can be seen at the agricultural museum in dokki and other Cairo suburbs such as Shubra and Ma,
Gardens are an essential part of private tombs in ancient Egypt. The construction of the gardens was based on symmetrical plans; their layout included the key elements that were included in their design—walls and gates surrounded by gardens. The gardens surrounding the pool were walled as part of the residence and provided privacy for family members; there are terraces in the garden layout. They allowed the owners to look down on the surroundings. The pools are used as sources of refreshment and coolness, in them why fish and birds were bred for food. Acacia, maple trees, and palm trees grew on the higher shores and around the pools. All kinds of cheerful-colored birds were thickets of green papyri and swamps swarming with waterfowl on the shore. The plantation was recognized as an important element of the project.
There were small flower beds around the pool, and the pergolas next to the pool provided support for the vines. Trees such as date palms, maples, and figs were planted further from the collection in straight rows, most of the same kind. Plantings may include orchards where fruit trees have been planted in rows, sometimes around a pool, vegetable gardens where they were grown in rectangular plots near the water, or flower gardens for adjacent and water-based and field cultivation.
In ancient Egypt, trees were associated with various deities; The sycamore tree was thought specifically to be the manifestation of the nut goddesses Isis and Hathor, who were even given the title “Lady of the Sycamore. The symbolism of the sycamore-fig tree connects it with the resting place of the soul. Was dedicated to the author, the food supplier for the dead and the guardian of the eastern horizon. Jawor was known in ancient Egypt as “NHT.”
sycamore in ancient Egypt
Sycamore was mentioned in many religious and historical; such use in this context reflects the importance attached to its meaning. You can see, of course, that the sycamore tree was usually planted in the gardens surrounding the pools. This can be seen from both ancient Egyptian scenes and texts. The following examples will present various texts from the tombs, offering bowls or papyri to explain the meaning and role of sycamore in conjunction with pools and ponds. Wombs, Backwaters, and Sewers:
Translation as follows.
“My Majesty told me not to count the canals, pools, wells, water pots, sycamore trees in the city of the two pyramids.”
In the 6th Dynasty harkhuf biography, he mentioned that he built his house with a swimming pool surrounded by sycamore trees.
“I came here from my city. I came down from my house, built a house, put on the door, dug and planted sycamore trees.
A pond and another 6th Dynasty text from the gerberas tombs in Akhmim describes how the tomb owner dug a pool surrounded by sycamore trees. The text
read:
“I have a pond of 100 cubits on each side with ten sycamore trees.”
In addition to the aforementioned, the same user who lived in Thebes during the 11th Dynasty and whose stele in the Florence museum and harkhuf, governor of Upper Egypt, spoke of their ponds and fig trees. Samentuser was so proud of owning a sycamore pool that the pools featured the backyard gardens that their owners boasted about.
The text was: “I am one of the beautiful pools and tall sycamore trees.”
On the other hand, in the papyrus scroll that dates back to the reign of Amenhotep, the second text mentioned a sycamore tree with ponds.
Ineni of the 18th Dynasty tells about his garden in the west, where he was refreshed under the sycamore trees and admired the beautiful trees.
“I cross its western pond and refresh under my sycamore trees and gaze at its beautiful trees.”
Ineni also mentioned the number of trees found in his garden; the whole inscription gives the number of trees: 73 sycamore trees, 31 acacia trees, 170 palm trees of a different kind, 5 fig trees, two moringa trees, 12 vines, five pomegranates, 16 carob trees, five trees Christ’s thorns, one arguna palm, eight willows, ten tamarisk trees, five acacia trees and five unidentified trees.
From the previous texts, a direct connection can be seen between the sycamore trees and the ponds of ancient Egypt. This combination was also seen on some of the bid tables. Wilkinson mentioned that sacrificial tables had been prepared to sacrifice the dead during the jubilee festival and to worship the solar god Ra. These stepped sinks represent the garden pool.
Sometimes they have the word sycamore-fig written. NHT, and sometimes a photo of a tree; in the sacrificial table at each corner of the pool’s perimeter is the word sycamore. In this context, Fischer added that whoever is called “iris,” the pond keeper, must plant sycamore trees on the banks of the pond.
Iconographic Evidence for the Existence of Ancient Egypt
SycamoreIconographically, the connection between the sycamore and garden pools was evident on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs. Gardens already existed in the 4th Dynasty. Older places of the kingdom that have evidence of gardens are harder to find. Nevertheless, there is evidence that all the basic forms and ideas about gardens have been recognized at this point. Information on plants in the parks comes from the analysis of pollen, seeds, roots, and charred and decayed remains found in excavations. In addition, there are descriptions of gardens and swimming pools and gentle dugouts on the stone from Palermo. The following selected examples will focus on the existence of sycamore in combination with the goddess nut and pools.
For example, in the ‘userhat’ tomb, at Sheikh Abdel Qurna, Thebes, there is a scene depicted in the transverse chamber, on the north wall, in the upper register, this scene shows the relationship between the goddess nut and the sycamore tree and their connection to the T-shaped pool. On the right side of the background is the goddess walnut. He is standing on a platform that is depicted as a pool of water. In his right hand, he holds a vase from which he supplies water to the serhat, his wife, and his mother. In his left hand, he holds a vessel with loaves, fruit (grapes, figs, pomegranate, and melon), resting on the top of a flower bouquet, placed between the legs of the nut and the user’s cap, and the cap almost resting at the feet, is a pool or a pool in the shape of a letter T. On top of this stand the souls of Userhat and his wife as a pair of human hawk heads with human arms and hands. with their hands, they collect water and eat from the vessel in front of them. The empty columns above the walnut’s head recalled:
“Walnut’s speech, the great one that works wonders in her name, sycamore: I gave you this cool water so that your heart might thus be refreshed; that water that comes from your basin in the necropolis west of Thebes. You have been given a small and tasty food in the fruit that grows from my limbs. Your b3 sits in my shadow and drinks water until he is satisfied. “
In the tomb of Sobekhotep in Sheikh Abdel Qurna in Thebes, there is a scene in the passage of the tombs, a transverse hall, a northern wall depicting sycamore trees in combination with pools a walnut goddess. Since he was the overseer of the bird’s pond of pleasure, it was not surprising that he saw a rectangular pool in his tomb, which the waves use for entertainment and drinking. This painting shows the deceased Sobekhotep and his wife in a garden planted with palm trees and sycamore trees. In the center of this garden is a rectangular pool with fish and lotus flowers. The image shows the type of vegetation that grew in the Egyptian gardens. There is a green stripe along the inside of the pool. Here the goddess of the tree appears from the sycamore tree at the corner of the collection, pulling out her gifts of fruits and drinks. It is both a place of sacrifice, as indicated by the T-shaped pools and a place to eat.
There is text on the right.
“Recitation by the sycamore tree in the eastern corner of its pool.”
On the left, the same test was repeated but with a modified direction.
“Recitation by the sycamore tree in the western corner of its pool.”
While in the tobeneger tombs in Thebes “Dr. Abu el-naga,” the T-shaped pool is depicted in the main hab of the tomb, which was used here as a drinking bowl. The collection is surrounded by palm trees, sometimes for pigeon nesting in addition to other trees and papyri. The tree goddess comes face to face with the deceased while sitting under a canopy and drinking from a T-shaped pool. The sycamore fig trees were home to the sky goddess named Hathor, a nut and alternatively isis. The sun has appeared on the eastern horizon of the sky between the sycamore – turquoise figs.
At Nebamun’s tomb in Thebes, the sycamore tree had a different role as a provider of the dead; his mud-brick house is depicted with two palm trees towering over them. In front of the house, there is a rectangular swimming pool full of birds and fish, surrounded by flowers and shaded rows of trees. In a fish pond, lotus flowers float on the surface of the water and the black fertile mud surrounding it. An Egyptian image of tilapia nilotica appeared in the pool. Fruit trees include sycamore figs, date palms, and dome palms; the dates are shown with varying degrees of maturity. to the right of the pool, a goddess (Hathor or a walnut) leans out of the tree and offers fruits and drinks
This part reminds us that no matter how idyllic and realistic the painting may seem, it comes from above. It is part of a larger funeral and religious context. On the left, the sycamore says and welcomes you as the garden owner; his works are written in hieroglyphs. The pool is shown from above, with three rows of trees lined up around its edge. The pool’s waves have been painted with a darker blue pigment; much of it was lost, as was the greenery in trees and shrubs. after the scene, the text reads: “recitation by the sycamore tree … of the owner of this pond.”
There is a strong connection between the figure of the goddess, embodied in the concepts of Hathor, the walnut and Isis, and the T-shaped pond, the presence of the goddess among the dead shown in the garden scenery, most often as the goddess of the sycamore tree, and the T-shaped pool are the elements which combine into symbolic unity.
Various examples of tree goddesses have been found on papyrus, such as the “ANA” papyrus, where he is depicted kneeling by a rectangular water cistern where a sycamore tree grows; a goddess nut appears on the tree, pouring water from the vessel with his left hand and giving him cookies with his right hand, in the papyrus, the deceased stands upside down in a pool filled with water, drinking from it, and the tree goddess pours water from the dead near the pool with a vase hst.
Religious, economic, and medical role of sycamore in ancient Egypt.
Due to its religious significance and importance, a sycamore tree was planted on the banks of the pools. He was often represented in the bas-reliefs and murals of the new kingdom.
The Egyptians considered sycamore as an element present in the tomb landscape, in the earthly surroundings of the garden, and as an attribute of the goddess Hathor.
The mortuary garden, in which the sycamore tree grows, visible in Theban tomb paintings, can be seen as a reflection of the earthly place that will soon bloom in the future home of the dead.
The trees are connected to the T-shaped pond not only in her role with the figure of the goddess but also in her presence growing in the groves surrounding the pools of the private garden. The sycamore forest was also present in the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, surrounding the T-shaped pools. The symbolic place of the sycamore at the gates of heaven, where the sun god Ra appeared at dawn, is significant when looking at its place in the mortuary garden where the sun favors rejuvenating the landscape. The elements of the pool and goddess were necessary to regenerate the spirit of the deceased.
Moreover, the grave of Meketra “11. dynasty in Thebes ”is the best example of having gardens during this period. The courtyard of his mortuary chapel was depicted on two models found in his tomb. The park covers about two-thirds of the area and consists of seven miniature maple trees surrounding the pool. Pools may be dedicated to sacrifice, especially water libations.
The sycamore tree has been associated with romance because of its manifestation in the goddess Hathor, the goddess of love. More precisely, it was a trial tree; it was the place where lovers met. It not only provides a cool, deep shade and seclusion but actively participates in love affairs.
Economically, it had many uses; the wood was used to make wood, and the leaves were used in medicine. Its wood was used for various purposes, including making statues, column bases, caskets, coffins, and chests. In addition, coffins with sycamore figs that come from the 12th and 26th dynasties have been discovered.
From a medical point of view, the ancient Egyptians advanced in the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases. Their advancement in ancient medical techniques was completely unexpected given the lack of modern research facilities and skills. The ebres papyrus, which holds the most comprehensive record of ancient Egyptian medicine, mentions the sycamore fruit for treating disease, as follows:
“to correct the urine in the diseased pubic area at the first occurrence of suffering; honey, one oak, one grass grain, one cyperus, one baker’s liquor, and one sycamore fruit.
The archaeological site of
Tell el-dabaa (avaris)
Tell el-dabaa (avaris), located in the north-eastern Nile delta, 8 km north of faqus, has been known since 1885. There are accumulations of old settlement remains at archaeological sites. Excavations in this place have been carried out since 1966. tell el dabaa is associated with the ancient temporary capital of avaris lying beneath the fissure deposits and the modern growing area. The excavations provided information about the gradual theft of Asian immigrants in the delta under the so-called Hyksos. These foreign rulers ruled for over a hundred years in the second intermediate period. The Hyksos established a solid base of forces in the Northeast Delta as an area of great strategic importance. Thus, this fortress was well placed to control the trade, land, and sea routes with the Middle East and the Mediterranean world.
The place tells el dabaa is also equated with the piramées, the residence of the delta of the 19th dynasty and the biblical city of Ramses.
Geo-archeology A
surveyed ladies in the Hyksos capital of Avaris, what to say Ad-Daba, on the eastern bank of the Nile Delta. An Austrian team led by Manfred Bietak and Irene Forstner Muller is carrying out excavations in the area. When Herodotus visited Egypt in the 5th century BC, the branch was still blooming in the water, as it was in the 2nd millennium BC. According to archaeological research, the Paleo-Pelusian unit was located near the city of Avaris. The river lies west of the city, between the modern villages. The main branch seems to be split into two canals to the north, around the ancient city of Pirates. Herbich’s research results were used to select scoring points, providing a hands-on approach to understanding area palaeotopography.
conclsuion
Palynology can provide important information on the exploitation of plants by ancient peoples.
This study was carried out to investigate different types of pollen grains collected from soil profile samples at different chronological periods at the “tell el dab2a” (avaris) archaeological site, Nile delta; The obtained data clearly showed that the pine type was abundant at a depth of 75-100 cm, which corresponds to the Hellenic-Roman and Byzantine periods, and was not recorded in the last layers.
This increased representation may reflect higher rainfall, suggesting a downward migration of the lower forest. We conclude that the climatic conditions became humid or relatively wet in the study area in the previous epoch. At the same time, the lack of the pinus type has been absent recently. The pollen type of the cereals recorded high representativeness in samples taken from a depth of 200-225 cm from the Old Kingdoms, this high representativeness of cereal pollen indicates the wide use of cereals such as wheat, various food preparations in the middle and new kingdom and also in the late period . Consequently, Louis Grivetti stated that the ancient Egyptians followed a grain-based diet where barley and wheat were commonly prepared as porridge or bread. It is reported that between 2750 and 2500 BC, archaeobotanical data revealed that Hordeum was the dominant crop detected.
In the layer of the soil profile of 200-225 cm, coming from the old kingdom, the pollen type of sycamore was the most numerous. May explain that the sycamore theory -fig. it was transferred north to Egypt by 3000 BC, and then to Israel, Lebanon, and Cyprus.
The first farmers in these regions learned how to induce parthenocarpia in sycamore fig trees by cutting them with a knife.
According to Galil, cut figs produce ethylene, which speeds up the ripening process.
The acacia pollen type recorded a high representation in the 200-225 propeller layer, from the old kingdom. It was interesting to find a kind of acacia pollen in great abundance; this may indicate the abundance of acacia trees in the study area; throughout the 2nd millennium BC, they were used as a source of firewood in the vicinity of the filly, the pollen type of the fabaceous (Vicia faba) (broad beans) was noted in large numbers, in trials at a depth of 200-225 cm, originating from the old kingdom, the presence of pollen from the the depiction may support the use of this plant by the ancient Egyptians as food, and this explanation is consistent with AYYAD & KREZWINSKI. They found that vivia faba was found in the old kingdom with relatively high frequencies and was introduced to agriculture in ancient Egypt the old kingdom with relatively high frequencies, and a new domain was introduced to agriculture in ancient Egypt, but found the fossil pollen of this plant with a high concentration from Mendes , “The capital of lower Egypt, I also suppose that Vicia faba was used in ancient Egyptian society as food for poor people.
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