Acacia

The Acacia in Ancient Egypt


 * Egyptian Name:**

//Sndt//

In ancient Egypt the Nile Acacia and the White Acacia were used in the making of longbows, pegs, dowels, and chariot pieces, and was a favorite choice for the decks and masts of barques. Acacia blossoms were common in garlands and collars. Beads in the form of acacia seeds have been found, made of gold, faience, lapis lazuli, feldspar, glass, carnelian, and turquoise. Gum arabic, made from the acacia, was used as a binding agent in painting. Leather was tanned with acacia pods or bark.

Acacia products were most useful to the physician: the resin was collected and used for burns and setting broken bones, the leaves were applied in treatments of eyes, wounds, and skin diseases, and the seeds were employed for treating fingers and toes. The oil was used to help wounds heal. In later times the acacia became rare enough that it was imported from Nubia.

Sometimes called the "Tree of Life" in Egyptian mythology, the first gods were said to have been born under the sacred acacia tree of the goddess Hathor, and Horus was also said to have emerged from it. The acacia of Heliopolis was a tree in which life and death was decided upon. According to myths, the acacia protected the body of Osiris, and the acacia was known as //Nht Hnmt Ntr// ("The Tree That Encloses the God.") Both the acacia and the palm carried the sun god Ra across the sky: "The Barque of Ra arrived at the town of Het-Aha; its forepart was made of palm wood, and the hind part was made of acacia wood; thus the palm tree and the acacia tree have been sacred trees from that day to this."

Acacia branches were waved as a sign of high spirits - a scene from a Theban tomb shows rejoicing women parading the streets playing tambourines and waving acacia branches. Beads were worn by women in the shape of acacia seeds, associated with protection in childbirth. A magic spell used an acacia branch to prevent kites from robbing. First, the branch was stood upright, and an offering of cakes was placed around it. Then the person would say: "O Horus, he has stolen in the town and in the field, his thirst is for the birds' field; he shall be cooked and eaten."

In modern-day Egypt, acacia wood is still used for boating building.

The Trees of Ancient Egypt

Fiber and Oil Plants