A Bulb of Narcissus on the Egyptian Mummy from University of Wrocław Collection

The object of the present study is the ancient bulb of the narcissus found on the mummy, probably of the Ptolemaic period, brought to Wrocław from Italy in the sixteenth century AD. For about four hundred years the mummy was kept by the successive owners of one of pharmacies in Wrocław, and after the World War II became the possession of Wrocław University. Computed tomography made in 2002 revealed an atypical object lying under the left hand of the mummy. Extracted in 2004 it appeared to be the bulb of a flower, and botanical analysis has revealed that it represents the Narcissus tazetta L. species. Although the narcissus was known in Egypt, its identification in the ancient sources has never been attempted. Thanks to the analysis of the bio-medical properties of the narcissus, compared with some descriptions of remedies proposed by the medical papyri Ebers and Hearts, as well as with some religious magical texts an identification of the sennut plant with narcissus is proposed here.The object of the present study is the ancient bulb of the narcissus found on the mummy, probably of the Ptolemaic period, brought to Wrocław from Italy in the sixteenth century AD. For about four hundred years the mummy was kept by the successive owners of one of pharmacies in Wrocław, and after the World War II became the possession of Wrocław University. Computed tomography made in 2002 revealed an atypical object lying under the left hand of the mummy. Extracted in 2004 it appeared to be the bulb of a fl ower, and botanical analysis has revealed that it represents the Narcissus tazetta L. species. Although the narcissus was known in Egypt, its identification in the ancient sources has never been attempted. Thanks to the analysis of the bio-medical properties of the narcissus, compared with some descriptions of remedies proposed by the medical papyri Ebers and Hearts, as well as with some religious magical texts an identification of the sennut plant with narcissus is proposed here

Badania archeobotaniczne w nawarstwieniach historycznych z terenu Krakowa: metodyka - stan badań - perspektywy Archaeobotanical studies within historical sequence layers from Kraków area: methods - state of investigations - prospects /

Tyt. z nagłówka.Bibliografia s. 97-99.Dostępny również w formie drukowanej.ABSTRACT: Palaeobotanical studies of archaeological sites situated on the territory of modern Kraków were initiated in the thirties of the 20th century but intensive explorations began after the World War II. The investigations can be divided in two periods. The older one was based on materials collected from archaeological excavations carried out from the late forties to ca. 1965. At that time the richest plant remains were obtained from the Wawel Hill and the Main Market Square (Rynek Główny). The studies of the younger period, which began after 2000, are connected with the new archaeological works carried out in the Main Market Square, at Kanonicza 17 St., Krupnicza 7 St. and in several other places of the Old Town. Most of the data were obtained from the Medieval layers. In a few cases it was possible to indicate changes in the intensity and ways of management of the studied features. Considerable spatial and chronological variation of the distribution of plant remains was observed. KEYWORDS: Kraków, plant macro-remains, pollen analysis, Midle Ages, archaeological layers. STRESZCZENIE: Badania paleobotaniczne na stanowiskach archeologicznych położonych w obrębie dzisiejszego Krakowa rozpoczęto w latach 30. XX wieku, ale ich intensywny rozwój nastąpił po II wojnie światowej. W badaniach tych wyróżniono dwa etapy. W starszym (do 1965 r.) najbogatsze materiały roślinne pozyskano ze wzgórza wawelskiego i z Rynku Głównego. Badania etapu młodszego (rozpoczęte po 2000 r.) związane były z najnowszymi pracami archeologicznymi prowadzonymi m.in. na Rynku Głównym, przy ul. Kanoniczej 17, Krupniczej 7 i w kilku innych punktach Starego Miasta. Najwięcej informacji o dawnej roślinności dostarczyły analizy nawarstwień średniowiecznych. W wielu przypadkach udało się wykazać zmiany intensywności i sposobu użytkowania badanych powierzchni i obiektów. Zarejestrowano duże zróżnicowanie przestrzenne i chronologiczne rozmieszczenia szczątków roślinnych w osadach. SŁOWA KLUCZOWE: szczątki makroskopowe roślin, analiza pyłkowa, średniowiecze, nawarstwienia archeologiczne, Kraków

The role of plants in the economy of Tell Arbid, north-east Syria, in the Post-Akkadian Period and Middle Bronze Age

Archaeological fieldwork carried out at the Tell Arbid site in north-eastern Syria exposed settlement remains dating from the early 3rd millennium BC to the mid 2nd millennium BC. Recent excavations in Sector P, on the eastern slope of the site, revealed the existence of a significant occupation of the Post-Akkadian/ Early Jazirah V period and of levels dated to the Early and Classic Khabur Ware/Old Jazirah/Middle Bronze Age I-II periods. Cereal remains were dominated by grains and ear fragments of hulled two-rowed barley Hordeum distichon. Less numerous were wheats represented by emmer Triticum dicoccon, einkorn T. monococcum, and macaroni wheat T. durum. The presence of bread wheat T. aestivum and six-rowed barley Hordeum vulgare could not be excluded. The two periods contained similar sets of cereals, but in the Post-Akkadian Period the percentage of hulled wheat remains was higher, while in the Middle Bronze Age (particularly in its younger phase) naked wheat slightly exceeded hulled wheats. Legumes were represented by only very few seeds of lentil Lens culinaris and bitter vetch Vicia ervilia. Diaspores of wild plants were very abundant, particularly those from the families of grasses and legumes. The considerable number of ear and culm fragments probably belonging to cereals as well as numerous seeds/fruits of wild plants suggests that the plant remains originated from fodder or animal dung or belonged to threshing waste. The presence of grass stems with nodes indicated that cereals were reaped low on the straw; occasional use of uprooting was suggested by the occurrence of basal culm fragments with traces of rootlets

A pendant encircled with bands from a Wielbark culture cemetery and the problem of the occurrence of bezoars

A pendant encircled with bronze bands was found in 1984 during the excavations of barrow 26 in the cemetery at Odry. The grave, which has yielded the pendant, is dated to the second half of the 1st century AD. At first the object in question was thought to be a palm stone (Phoenix sylvatica). Thorough analysis, however, has shown that it is a bezoar, i.e. a globular formation produced in the stomachs of ruminants. The bezoar from Odry was composed of the hair of lynx, hare and mouse. Bezoars were worn as amulets all over medieval and modern Europe. They usually served as protection against all sorts of illnesses and complaints, notably poisoning. The find from Odry would thus represent the earliest antidote known.Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę

Plant macrofossils from the site of Tell Arbid, Northeast Syria (3rd–2nd millennium BC). Preliminary report

The paper presents preliminary results of an analysis of 51 samples of plant macrofossils coming from various archaeological contexts from the site of Tell Arbid in Northeast Syria. The contexts were dated mainly to the 3rd millennium BC (EJI–EJV) with a few being of 2nd millennium BC date (Khabur Ware and Mitanni periods). Cultivated plants were represented by cereals and pulses. The cultivation of at least three cereal species is documented, including a hulled variety of two-rowed barley, glumed einkorn and/or emmer wheat, and a species of naked wheat, probably macaroni wheat. Vegetables included lentil, bitter vetch, grass pea, and garden pea. Plants from the Ninevite 5 period (EJI–EJII) and their significance in the Tell Arbid economy are discussed in greater detail owing to the highest number of samples studied

Late Glacial Multidisciplinary Studies

Amplitudes and rates of climate changes and environmental responses were especially high during the Late Glacial (ca. 16,000–11,500 years BP). By applying several methods on the same material (if possible on the same core to avoid correlation problems), the uncertainties and weaknesses of single disciplines can be reduced. Case studies are summarized to illustrate three types of research questions: What were the qualitative changes in the Late Glacial? How large were the temperature changes quantitatively? and What were the biotic responses to an independently recorded temperature change? Plant macrofossils play an important role in answering these questions. When several biostratigraphies and isotope stratigraphies are combined in a multidisciplinary study, we may disentangle the changes in various ecological factors, such as temperature, effective moisture, salinity, pH, or nutrient availability

A Bulb of Narcissus on the Egyptian Mummy from University of Wrocław Collection

The object of the present study is the ancient bulb of the narcissus found on the mummy, probably of the Ptolemaic period, brought to Wrocław from Italy in the sixteenth century AD. For about four hundred years the mummy was kept by the successive owners of one of pharmacies in Wrocław, and after the World War II became the possession of Wrocław University. Computed tomography made in 2002 revealed an atypical object lying under the left hand of the mummy. Extracted in 2004 it appeared to be the bulb of a flower, and botanical analysis has revealed that it represents the Narcissus tazetta L. species. Although the narcissus was known in Egypt, its identification in the ancient sources has never been attempted. Thanks to the analysis of the bio-medical properties of the narcissus, compared with some descriptions of remedies proposed by the medical papyri Ebers and Hearts, as well as with some religious magical texts an identification of the sennut plant with narcissus is proposed here

Archaeobotanical studies at the multicultural site at Zagórze (site 2), Niepołomice commune, the Małopolskie Voivodeship

Plant remains collected on the multicultural archaeological site 2 at Zagórze, originated from features of the Linear Pottery, Lengyel and Malice Cultures dated to the Neolithic, the Lusatian Culture from the III or IV period of the Bronze Age, the Tyniec Culture from the La Tène period, and the Puchov Culture from the Roman period. For several features chronology and/or culture were not recognized. The recovered material included charred and uncharred fruits/seeds, wood charcoal and rare impressions in daub. Uncharred diaspores were considered intrusions from younger layers and were ignored in the interpretation of the results. The results obtained for features from different time were of uneven value. Plant remains found in the Linear Pottery culture features included single grains of barley, emmer wheat, bread wheat, and rye and numerous grains of common millet. Wild herbs (about 17 species) belonged to field and ruderal weeds. Anthracological spectrum was dominated by oak and pine, birch, alder, and hazel were relatively frequent, while hornbeam, fir, beech and maple were represented by single specimens. Possible contamination of the samples by the younger intrusions including bread wheat, rye, and common millet as well as hornbeam and beech was discussed. Plant material recovered from features of the early phase of the Lusatian culture dated to the Bronze Age (Table 5) was of special interest because hitherto only very scanty archaeobotanical data were available for that period in Poland. Among the cereals, common millet grains were the most abundant, single grains belonged to barley, emmer and bread wheat. Millet was often found in large quantities on the Lusatian culture sites dated to the Hallstatt period, the now available data support the view that the spread of millet cultivation began already in the Bronze Age and this species became one of the most important cereals at the transition to the Iron Age. The richest plant material was found in the Puchov culture features dated to the Roman Period. People of this culture cultivated different cereals, among which millet and emmer were the most common, less abundant were barley, rye, bread wheat, oat, and spelt wheat