Explore More Issue 18

GARDENING
of Amun at Karnak and, in the
tomb paintings of the period,
plants such as Papaver rheas and
Centuarea depressa from the
Judaea and Samaria regions, along
with European Arum italica and
Dracunculus vulgaris, are depicted.
PHOTOS: © ISTOCK
TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB
During the 18th Dynasty, it was
fashionable to wear large thin
blueish tin collars of faience. These
normally took the decorative forms
of flowers we would know today as
cornflower, chamomile, lotus and
citrus type fruits. Collars made in
the same style but of fresh flowers
were created for ceremonies and
feasts, and are also depicted in
tomb paintings from the period.
More exciting, however, are the six
complete collars that were found in
Tutankhamun’s tomb. These would
have been worn at his funerary
banquet and were embalmed to
travel with him to the next life.
Tutankhamun offers us one of
the most complete insights into
flowers and their significance for
the next life in Ancient Egypt.
Almost all Pharaohs of the New
Kingdom would have been
embalmed with a floral collar
which rested on the chest on
the innermost of their coffins.
Tutankhamun’s is the sole surviving
collar we have today and it includes
plants such as olive, Egyptian
willow and pomegranate. Alongside
the collar, flat garlands made of
similar plants, including acacia,
delphinium, carthamus and white
willow herb, were wound over the
fabric of the embalmed Pharaoh
in concentric semicircles. Most
of these have not survived but
depictions and fragments found
in the inner caskets point to the
importance flowers held.
There is also evidence that in
rare circumstances the Pharaoh
would have had a floral crown.
Fragments had been found in
the hair of Amenhotep II but
final proof was found with
Tutankhamun. Two crowns hung
around the royal insignia of the
brows of the first and second coffin.
Statuettes of the deceased placed in
the tomb were also decorated with
floral garlands and, unusually, the
jugs and casket of goods to be taken
to the next life were also decorated
with fresh floral garlands.
Tutankhamun’s tomb is one of
only three to be found containing
pole bouquets – these were made
from vines and the leaf stems of a
native tree called melilot.
FLORAL TRIBUTES
There are still many mysteries
surrounding the plants found in
different tombs. The dried remains
of Narcissus tazetta bulb were
found placed around
the neck of Rameses
II but not on any
other Pharaoh, whilst
the leaves of Crinum
were placed over the
eyes, nose, mouth
and mummification
incisions of Sennefer,
Mayor of Thebes;
fascinating as the leaves are the
most uninteresting part of the bulb.
Later, floral garlands were made
into the shape of the Ankh sign
and offered to the gods. These
signs (sometimes two or three feet
high) were also carried to the tomb
entrance and stood with the casket,
which was upright whilst the last
rites before interment were offered.
As time passed more complicated
wreaths of exotic flowers including
rosa, lychnis and jasmine were used
in these ceremonies.
Finally, of crucial importance
to Ancient Egyptian life was the
role of perfume and perfume
production. Large amounts of
mostly empty, perfume-filled
jars, most likely made from the
blue lotus were found alongside
Tutankhamun. This perfume
remained a staple trade export
into the Greco-Roman period.
So next time you see the famous
Golden Mask of Tutankhamun you
will be able to imagine that when
it was originally set in place, under
that mighty golden face would have
been thousands of
beautiful, scented
flowers woven
into rich
garlands
to transport
the Pharaoh
safely to the
next life.
Clockwise, from
above: Flowers
were originally
placed under
Tutankhamun’s
funerary mask;
jasmin flowers;
blue lotus is the
sacred flower of
the Nile; Egyptian
gods drawn onto
papyrus paper
WINTER 2019 | VIKINGCRUISES.CO.UK 41
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