Plant of the Week
Papyrus, Bullrush
Latin: Cyperus papyrus
Most of us learn what little we know about the ancient cultures of Egypt from
Hollywood flicks like "Tomb Raiders" and from the exploits of Indiana Jones.
Entertaining but twisted views of Egyptian history emerge from these cinematic
efforts. But thanks to our neighbors in Memphis, we now have an opportunity to
see first-hand some of the finest Egyptian artifacts held by the British Museum.
Among the hundreds of priceless pieces on display are several beautifully
preserved examples of papyrus scrolls – ancient road maps known as the Book of
the Dead.
Papyrus, or bullrush, (Cyperus papyrus) is a member of the nutsedge
family. It’s an aquatic plant that grows along slow-moving streams like the Nile
throughout north and central Africa. Plants grow 4-8 feet tall and have dense
clumps of thumb-sized stems emerging from a below-ground clump of rhizomes.
The above-ground stems are crowned with an umbrella-shaped inflorescence
consisting of up to 100 cylindrical rays that, while technically part of the
flower, perform most of the photosynthesis for the plant. The flowers are not
ornamental in the classic way, but the plant is very graceful and is commonly
used as a tender plant in water gardens.
To the ancient Egyptians, papyrus served the same purpose as pine pulpwood
does today. It provided paper. The first papyrus scrolls appear to have been
made in the late Old Kingdom about 2500 to 2200 BC. The spells and incantations
depicted in the Book of the Dead scrolls were copied from the hieroglyphic
symbols carved on the tomb walls of rulers during this period. The scrolls on
display in Memphis are from the New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC) and beautifully
depict the passage of the soul from a mortal life to the eternal afterlife.
The Book of the Dead was not a "Bible" explaining the beliefs of Ancient
Egypt, but a book of prayers intended to serve as a guidebook to help traverse
the tricky passage into the afterlife. The scrolls could contain up to 200
spells and be up to 175 feet long.
By the end of the New Kingdom, books were being written in advance with
spaces left in appropriate places for the family of the deceased to insert the
person’s name.
The most important spells were depicted graphically. Of these, the Weighing
of the Heart is the most interesting. In this vignette, the deceased is led into
the Hall of Judgement by the god Thoth, the patron saint of scribes. In the
presence of Osirus, the god of the afterlife, the deceased’s heart is weighed
against that of a feather. In this moment of judgement, those pure of heart pass
on, while those whose hears are heavy with sin will have their heart devoured by
Ammit, a deity with a crocodile head, a lions front section and the rear section
of a hippopotamus.
Paper was made from papyrus stems by first peeling the outer rind and then
cutting the inner pith into narrow strips. These still moist strips were then
laid side by side in a crisscrossed pattern and then pressed and dried. Paper
made using this technique could be of any length desired, but it was expensive
by Egyptian standards.
Papyrus is frost-tender, so it must be protected during winter. It can be
grown in the water garden in sunny sites or in large decorative pots that are
kept on the moist side. Propagation is typically done by division of the clump;
but in nature, new plantlets form when the arching stems kink in the middle and
the top of the plant is submerged in water. A new plantlet will form from the
submerged head and begin to grow. This is one of the few examples where a plant
is propagated upside down.
By: Gerald Klingaman, retired
Extension Horticulturist
- Ornamentals
Extension News -
August 17, 2001
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