Iris Garden #2
by Shirley Mangini
Title
Iris Garden #2
Artist
Shirley Mangini
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Earliest history of the iris probably began around 1479 B.C., when King Thutmose III of Egypt had conquered Syria where irises grew in great profusion. Being a gardener as well as a warrior king, Thutmose made sure that irises were immortalized in sculptures at the Temple of Amon at Karnak, as well as in the gardens of Egypt. Irises go back to ancient times in Egypt where they were immortalized as symbols of the renewal of life, and in many other parts of the world where they have grown in the wild for thousands of years. This lovely flower is named after the Greek messenger of the gods, Iris, who was said to have golden wings and to travel on a rainbow. "Iris" means "rainbow" in Greek, fittingly representing the many colors of the iris flower. In the ancient world, the Indian and Egyptian cultures were among those that used iris for medicinal purposes and for perfume. Perfumes were applied as offerings to the gods, and iris byproducts like orris roots were thrown onto fires to create scents that would be pleasing to the gods. Centuries later, the practice of using dried iris rhizomes was a major industry in 19th-century Florence, Italy. The iris became the emblem of
Uploaded
June 27th, 2014
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