922 JOURNAL. BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY. Vol. NXl. 



which he had planted in his garden. Amongst them there were 

 not less than 120 Domn Palms. If the fruits discovered by 

 Flinders Petrie at Ivahuu were not introduced from il^thiopia, we 

 must even admit that the tree was planted in Egypt 800 years 

 before that period.^ 



The palm received its native name ' .l\Iama ' - (Avhich means 

 " divided in two ■■ ) from the fact that the stem of the tree is 

 usually bifurcate. Theophrast, too. (371-280 B.C.) who calls the 

 palm cucifera (KovKiocpo^o?) makes this the distinctiAe character of 

 the tree : 



"The tree." he says,-' " which is called cucifera. shows with 

 regard to its trunc and leaves a great resemblance to the Date 

 Palm, but it is distinguished by the fact that, whilst the stem of 

 the Date Palm is simple and entire, its trunc is divided into two 

 branches, each of which in its turn is split up into two secondary 

 branches, which bear short and few branches." 



The Doum Palm is usually sboAvn with the bifurcate stem on the 

 pictiires of the Egyptian tombs. There is one c)f them which repre- 

 sents the general arrangement as well as all the details of the 

 pare of an officer of Amenhotpu II., the seventh king of the 18th 

 dynasty. Sycamores, Date-Trees and Doum Palms play an impor- 

 tant part in the artistically laid out garden."^ On a picture fi'om 

 one of the tombs of Tell-el-Amarna'% on the contrary, the artist 

 represented the Doum Palm Mith a sim]:»le stem, but with the 

 characteristic fan-shaped leaves. 



The fruits of the Doum Palm which have heen found in im- 

 mense quantities in the pharaonic tombs and specimens of which 

 may be seen in every Egyptian museum of Europe, are remarkable 

 for their shape and size. 



^ Joret, C. Les Plantes daus TAntiqixite et au Moven Aye. Paris. l.s'.)7. I. iOH. 



- Moldenke, C E. 1. c p. (iC. 



" Theophrastus. Historia plantarnm. lilj. iv. cap. II. 



* Wilkinson, G. The manners and cn^^toms of the ancient Egyptians. London 

 1878, vol. I, p. 377, pi. 150. 



Woenig, F. Die Pfianzen im alten Ae.u'vpten. Leipzi.Li'. ISs*;. |). i'H2. 



Moldenke, C. 1. c. p. 41. 



Maspero, G- Histoire ancienne des peui>les de I'Orient. Paris, ed. 4. IsxCi. vol. I, 

 p. 291. 



■'■ Lepsius. Denkmiiler. vol. III. pi. ;•."). 



