Pharaoh's Flowers

The golden face of Tutankhamun was garlanded with fresh flowers exquisitely preserved after 3,000 years in his innermost coffin.  In the tomb a model of a granary was found full to the brim with seeds -- emmer wheat, fenugreek and chick-pea.  Brooms of reed and grass used to tidy up after the burial remained intact.  Usually ignored by grave robbers intent on gold, baskets, fabrics and papyri, timber and unguent vases buried with Tutankhamun have survived.

Each chapter of Pharaoh's Flowers carries detailed descriptions of the plant species found or represented in the tomb.  The plants and flowers of ancient Egypt are brought back to life in this botanical exploration of the Pharaoh's tomb.

This new, second edition of this important and fascinating book, first published in 1990, has been fully updated, to take account of recent finds and interpretations.  New features include: 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, with quotations from the Old Testament that illuminate ancient botanical knowledge and practices.