As the novelist Zora Neale Hurston notes, “Half gods are worshipped in wine and flowers. Real gods require blood.” Many gods were vicious, conceived as harbingers of war and bringers of plague during times of turmoil. Yet, the duality in life demands that there is balance between light and dark, and often, small gods who presided over simple aspects, like flowers, were readily welcomed. 

In Old Egypt, Nefertem, a minor god, was associated with the lotus flower, having been born out of one at the mound of creation. Flowers held a significant role in Ancient Egypt as symbols of the divine. Seen adorning both temples and houses, floral motifs were prominent elements in Egyptian society, from everyday furniture to ceremonial art. 

The Importance of Flowers in Ancient Egypt

In Egypt, more so than other societies, flowers were revered, as they were directly associated with the dictates of the Nile River. The flooding was considered a boon, replenishing the soil with fertile, black silt. When the Nile didn’t flood, the results were of a catastrophic magnitude. with entire cities descending into madness: mass deaths, terrible famines, and societal upheaval. From the ruins of Old Egypt, the sun rose, and so did the lotus flower. 

Early floral bouquets during the Old and Middle Kingdoms were rudimentary, consisting of simple bunches of lotuses tied with papyrus stalks. As society advanced, so did the practice of floristry. Flowers and bouquets were an important part of rituals, depicted as offerings to the gods – they were made into amulets to proclaim devotion to a deity and as charms of protection. Lotus petals were sewn into hair bands, and collars made of fresh flowers were worn at banquets. The New Kingdom saw the rise of pleasure gardens – sprawling gardens featuring ponds filled with fish and strewn with lotus flowers. 

Lotus and Papyrus 

Dwelling along the shores of the Nile, both the lotus flower and papyrus were considered sacred flowers. In the Nile River Delta, dense thickets of papyrus flourish, giving way to beautiful water lilies at the height of the flooding season. When the Nile floodwaters swell from July until September, the blue water lily unfurls, the most prized out among lotus flowers. Out of the two lotus flowers, the white lotus and the blue, it is the blue that was coveted. Once widespread in Ancient Egypt, the authentic blue lotus, N. caerulea, is now incredibly rare, only confined to the Nile Delta due to land reclamation and habitat loss. 

The widespread use of the lotus flower in Egyptian iconography was deliberate – it was considered a ‘magical’ flower and was theorized to have been used in psychedelic-fueled rituals. The lotus flower and stalks of papyrus were often depicted intertwined to symbolize unification, with the papyrus representing Lower Egypt and the lotus representing Upper. 

Pomegranate Flower 

Few people are aware of what pomegranate flowers look like, having seldom been acquainted with their orange, pentagonal flowers. The genus name, Punica, was derived from the Roman word for the ancient, North African city of Carthage. Dubbed as the “fruit of paradise,” pomegranates were regarded by the Ancient Egyptians as a symbol of prosperity and renewal. Juice was wrung from the seeds to create wine, and interestingly, the tannin rich root extracts were used to get rid of tapeworms. The flowers themselves were used in dyes and herbal remedies. 

Cornflower 

Symbolizing themes of youth, vitality, and renewal, the bright blue of cornflowers was highly prized and included in funerary rites for royalty. In Egyptian culture, they were used in garlands for adornment and bouquets for the tombs of the deceased. Dyed beads were made into the shapes of cornflowers, along with poppies, and strung along into collars. 

Iris

An emblematic flower associated with power and royalty, irises adorned the scepters of pharaohs in the 16th century BC as symbols of pharaonic strength. The Egyptian variety was known as the White Flag Iris (Iris albicans), possibly the oldest iris in cultivation. Linked to divinity, irises were engraved on statues of Egyptian sphinxes as a mark of Horus. The roots were distilled through a complex process to create perfumes.

Jasmine 

Jasmine was an eastern import that was brought in during the Roman occupation of Egypt. The small, delicate flowers, which bloomed at night, were said to have a calming effect on the nervous system. In ancient times, it was used in perfumery, and even now, it is famed for its heady scent, evoking the nostalgia of cool, summer evenings.  

Helichrysum 

Foreign influences from the Romans and Greeks expanded the Egyptians’ floral repertoire. Helichrysum, or everlasting flowers, was an herb revered in ancient times that grew along canal banks and cemeteries; its flowers were made into wreaths to crown the statues of gods. A 1,700-year-old wreath, woven in Roman Egypt, was found in a tomb, alluding to eternal life. 

Poppy 

Magic and science were intricately intertwined in Ancient Egypt, with herbal remedies prescribed to treat ailments. Poppies, used both as therapeutics and poisons, were added to beer and wine to enhance their narcotic effects (do not try this at home). Wine was drunk in copious 

amounts during festivals and holy days – in honor of the lion-headed goddess Sekhmet, the Egyptians consumed wine stained with pomegranate juice, and on the occasion, poppy seeds. 

Chamomile 

A small, modest flower, the chamomile was considered a gift from the divine – sandals were decorated with its likeness, and its oils were used to anoint the tombs of kings. The name chamomile actually refers to a genus of plants in the Asteraceae family, with Matricaria chamomilla and Chamaemelum nobile the most well-known. Emblematic of the sun god Ra, chamomile was found on Egyptian hieroglyphics from thousands of years ago.