Gardens and Gardeners of the Ancient World: History, Myth and ArchaeologyFrom the earliest of times people have sought to grow and nurture plants in a garden area. Gardens and Gardeners of the Ancient World traces the beginning of gardening and garden history, from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, to the Minoans and Mycenaeans, Greeks, Etruscans and Romans, through Byzantine, Islamic and Persian gardens right up to the Middle Ages. It shows how gardens in each period were designed and cultivated. Evidence for garden art and horticulture is gathered from surviving examples of ancient art, literature, archaeology, actual period gardens that have survived the centuries and the wealth of garden myths associated with certain plants. These sources bring ancient gardens and their gardeners back to life, and provide information on which plants were chosen as garden worthy, their setting and the design and appearance of ancient gardens. Deities associated with aspects of gardens and the garden's fertility are featured - everyone wanted a fertile garden. Different forms of public and domestic gardens are explored, and the features that you would find there; whether paths, pools, arbors and arches, seating or decorative sculpture. The ideal garden could be like the Greek groves of the Academy in Athens, a garden so fine that it was comparable with that of the mythical king Alcinoos, the paradise contemplated by the Islamic world, or a personal version of a garden of Eden that Early Christians could create for themselves or in the forecourt of their churches. In general books on garden history cover all periods up to the present, often placing all ancient gardens in one chapter at the beginning. But there is so much of interest to be found in these early millennia. Generously illustrated with 150 images, with plant lists for each period, this is essential reading for everyone interested in garden history and ancient societies. |
Contents
Gardens of Ancient Mesopotamia and the Near East | |
Minoan and Mycenaean Cultures | |
Etruscan Gardens | |
Roman Gardens | |
Byzantine Gardens | |
Islamic and Persian Gardens | |
Medieval Gardens | |
Conclusions | |
Greek Gardens and Groves of the Archaic Classical and Hellenistic Periods | |
Other editions - View all
Gardens and Gardeners of the Ancient World: History, Myth and Archaeology Linda Farrar Limited preview - 2016 |
Common terms and phrases
18th Dynasty Adonis Al-Andalus ancient apple Archaeological archaeology Athens beautiful Botanical Byzantine Byzantine gardens centre century BC courtyard Crete crocus cultivated cultures cypress date palm decorative deities depicted discovered Dynasty Egypt Egyptian enclosure Etruscan evidence excavations fertility FIGURE flowers fountain fresco fruit trees funerary garden areas garden plants goddess grapes Greece Greek growing Hellenistic herbal herbs horticulture hortus conclusus House irrigation Islamic gardens King Knossos lily London medieval mentioned Minoan mosaic Museum myrtle myth narcissus Naturalis Historia nearby officinalis olive orchard ornamental painted palace papyrus paradeisos paradise pavilion pergola period peristyle Persian Persian gardens pits plant beds Pliny Pliny the Elder pomegranate Pompeii pool rectangular river Roman gardens Rome rose rows sacred garden sacred grove sativa scene seen shade shown shows species surrounded survived sycomore tamarisk temple texts Theophrastus Timurid Tomb trans vase vegetables villa vine violet wall вс