Abstracts

Bebel-Nowak, Agata, Use of Pulses in Ancient Egypt. Examples from the Pharaonic Period
The role of pulses in the diet, economy, and culture of ancient Egypt during the Pharaonic period remains a subject of debate, particularly when compared to their prominence in neighboring regions like Mesopotamia. While Strabo’s Geographica (XVII, I, 36) suggests that pulses, alongside cereals, were staples of the Egyptian diet, archaeological and textual evidence presents a more nuanced picture. This paper aims to explore the use of pulses in ancient Egypt by examining lexicographic, iconographic, and botanical sources, including material from key excavation sites such as Maadi, Giza, Saqqara, and Tell el-Retaba, as well as newer findings from Tell el-Samara, and Tell el-Murra.
Despite their early introduction in the Neolithic period, pulses such as chickpeas, lentils, and beans appear to have been rare in the Egyptian archaeological record until the Greco-Roman period, when they gained more widespread popularity. The few references to pulses in Egyptian texts, including medical papyri and economic documents, highlight their role in medicine and as part of wages for laborers. Still, they do not suggest pulses were a dietary staple. There is no iconographic evidence of pulses in ancient Egypt – they never appeared in the artistic record. Some offerings found in tombs (e.g., Tutankhamun’s tomb), imply that pulses may have been imported and considered luxurious.
The paper compares the use of pulses in Egypt, offering insights into the cultural, environmental, and economic factors that shaped the real role of legumes in Egypt. By analyzing the distribution and significance of pulses in Egyptian archaeological, archaeobotanical, and textual sources, this study aims to clarify the reasons behind their relatively scarce presence in Pharaonic Egypt and their later adoption as a staple food in the Graeco-Roman Era.

Blázovics Anna, A phyto/humánhormon abszcizinsav karrierje / The carrier of the phyto/humanhormon Abscisin
Abscisic acid is a universal compound that is present at all levels of phylogenetic development and helps organisms adapt to their environment. This oxygen-rich diterpene molecule is the degradation product of xanthophylls synthesized from mevalonic acid as a starting compound. Of the many isomers of abscisic acid, naturally occurring dextrorotatory, cis-trans compounds are active. (S)-5-(1-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-4-oxo-2-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-methyl-(2 cis,4 trans)-pentadienoic acid has the strongest biological with activity.
As a secondary metabolic product, abscisic acid is a phytohormone/hormone influencing many physiological processes in both plants and animals. It is also a proven human endogenous hormone.
By carrying out molecular genetic, biochemical and pharmacological studies, it was established that in both animals and humans, abscisic acid regulates many physiological functions in a manner very similar to the signaling pathway known in plants. ABA biosynthesis and signaling pathways are regulated by circadian rhythm. Abscisic acid regulates cell growth and development and immune responses to various stimuli. It has also become known that abscisic acid, as a growth regulator, is not toxic to the animal body, but at the same time inhibits the reproduction of cancer cells. It favorably affects carbohydrate metabolism and also has anti-inflammatory properties.Exogenous abscisic acid, passing through the blood-brain barrier, inhibits neuron inflammation, helps neurogenesis, enhances synaptic plasticity, thus helps the learning process, improves memory, plays a role in the significant improvement of depression and anxiety and in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, improving the quality of human life. Warming can significantly affect the homeostasis of organisms by increasing the synthesis of abscisic acid. The level of ABA can also increase through the food chain, which can cause many physiological effects in humans. The role of abscisic acid in signal transmission aroused the researcher’s curiosity, and extensive research shows favorable effects in the case of more and more pathologies.

Blair, Kefie, Unearthing the Neglect:The Overlooked Potential of Phytolith Analysis in Ancient Egyptian Archaeology
Ancient Egyptian archaeology has long relied on textual and material evidence, yet the botanical record remains largely underexplored. This review highlights the neglect of archaeobotany (particularly regarding microbotanical remains such as phytolith and pollen analysis) in understanding Ancient Egyptian society. By examining the current state of archaeobotanical research, this study reveals significant gaps in our knowledge of ancient Egyptian agriculture, environmental conditions, and cultural exchange. A critical evaluation of phytolith analysis demonstrates its potential to illuminate these aspects. This review argues that integrating phytolith analysis into archaeological investigations can provide new insights into Ancient Egyptian civilization. The implications of this neglected field are discussed, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration and further research.

Comegna, Chiara, Purposes of plants. Archaeobotanical studies on the use of plants in the Pompeian green spaces
The selection of plants to realise green spaces is still today a fundamental factor in the design of public, private and productive areas. This selection depends in some cases on choices related to functional reasons and in others on the trends of the time. The introduction of new plants or the reintroductions of relict species and the cultivation for intensive use of selected species for particular purposes have always modelled the vegetal landscape. The investigation and the analysis of these factors allow the knowledge of the relationship between people and plant resources and the land-use over the time. The case of Pompeii provides a unique chance to investigate several green spaces of the ancient city analysing evidence brought to light both in the past and in ongoing excavations. The ecofacts recovered in these green spaces (macro and micro archaeobotanical remains, traces left on the ground, etc..) compared with the iconographic, textual and ethnographic source provided the possibility of clarifying that there were different uses for these green areas. Furthermore, for the Roman period, it is possible to identify a great amount of information on the preferences and plant productions in the agronomic texts of ancient authors. By analysing the different Pompeian green spaces, it has been possible to trace in diachronic the ornamental and/or functional choices that followed both the needs and the trends of the time. It has also been possible to recognise great skills in the management of agronomic techniques and plant care, and to detect the need, especially in the last period of life of the city, to combine the concept of the ornamental garden with the utilitarian one. Therefore, it is clear that people want to benefit from the presence of plant elements by taking care of them in order to receive aesthetics, sensations and products.

Cooper, Julien, Ancient nomadism in the Nile Basin: Seasonality & transhumance since the Neolithic
Northeast Africa hosted numerous nomadic groups in the ancient past, much as it does today. From the Mediterranean coast to the Red Sea Hills and the West-Nubian deserts, the Nile region not only supported celebrated urban empires such as Egypt and Kush but myriad nomadic groups who kept varying herds of sheep, goat, cattle, and camel. Ancient nomadic groups went through many revolutions, notably from climate change to the introduction of new domesticates in the desert. Seasonal movements brought with it numerous opportunities to exploit different plant ecologies, resources, and employment opportunities as well as new power dynamics with Nile regimes. This nomadic mobility was primarily framed, however, by the sustenance and maintenance of a herd. This mode of existence, while lasting for millennia, faced constant challenges in the form of locally sporadic and erratic rainfall and long-term climatic shifts which changed the demographics of the deserts inexorably. This paper will describe nomadic pastoralism in the ancient Nile region through this nomadic transhumance, underscoring how millennia of nomadic pastoralists thrived in marginal environments from Egypt to Sudan.

Doncker, Alexis Den, On the use of scented resin-made varnishes in Theban tomb painting
This paper will present preliminary results of a study on scented resin-made varnishes used in Theban tomb painting. Outside their commonly accepted colour-based application, the study examines other possible functionalities, considering their distribution on selected iconographic units and their multisensory properties. In terms of art history, varnishes were used as visual enhancers to render the glossy finish of objects and bodies that glittered in reality, thereby bringing the motif and its referent closer on a perceptual level. Taking into account the scented nature of these varnishes—along with the type of the resins and their uses in other contexts—we can moreover envisage the possibility of an olfactory application. In these cases, varnishes were applied onto iconographic units thematically linked with incense, antyu and related substances, leading to the assumption that painters sought to impart these representations with the properties associated with the scents, somehow on a further level of perceptuality. The paper will highlight the methodological aspects of this research, including the results of experimental tests made by Hugues Tavier (University of Liège).

ElKady, Marwa, Plants as Protectors: An In-depth Exploration of Ancient Egyptian Cultural Traditions for Protection
This research explores the historical and cultural significance of plants as protective agents in ancient Egyptian society. Beyond their nutritional value, certain plants were imbued with symbolic and spiritual power, serving as both physical and spiritual barriers against malevolent forces. These plants were believed to possess inherent protective qualities that could ward off evil spirits and negative energies, reflecting the Egyptians’ holistic approach to health and spirituality.
Garlic, for instance, was highly valued for its supposed ability to repel evil spirits and protect against diseases. It was commonly used in culinary and medicinal contexts, and its strong odor was thought to have the power to drive away malevolent forces. Similarly, onions were believed to have protective properties and were often placed in tombs to safeguard the deceased in the afterlife. The lotus flower, a symbol of rebirth and purity, was another plant embedded in Egyptian religious and cultural household practices. The flower’s ability to close at night and reopen in the morning was seen as a metaphor for the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Palm trees and their branches were also significant in ancient Egyptian culture and were believed to offer protection.
The study focuses on identifying specific plants deemed protective in ancient Egyptian culture, analyzing their symbolic and spiritual significance. It examines the integration of these plants into daily life through culinary, medicinal applications, and the crafting of amulets. Furthermore, the research seeks to comprehend the interconnectedness of humans, nature, and the supernatural within ancient Egyptian belief systems and how this holistic worldview influenced their utilization of plants. Ultimately, it traces the lasting impact of these practices and beliefs as part of the cultural heritage, exploring how remnants of these ancient traditions may continue in contemporary Egyptian cultural heritage and belief systems passed down from ancestors.

Fráter Erzsébet, Papiruszsors, a papirusz tündöklése és bukása / Papyrus fate, the rise and fall of papyrus
In the 5,000-year history of ancient Egypt, writing played an extremely important role, and its main material, the papyrus scroll, was one of the most defining inventions of the Egyptians.
The papyrus sedge (Cyperus papyrus) is a robust perennial plant native to the coastal areas of East Africa and the Middle East, including along the Nile region. It was used in an extremely versatile way, its rhizome was eaten and used as a medicinal plant, ships were built from its stem, and sails, ropes, sandals and baskets were woven from its bark fibers. However, its most important application for thousands of years was the making of rolls, the raw material of which is the plant’s stout but flexible, three-edged, spongy stem.
Papyrus was an important and expensive export item of Egypt, the raw material or the finished product was transported to Rome on ships. It was probably through the extensive papyrus trade that papyrus came to Sicily, to the mouth of the Ciane River near Syracuse, which is today the plant’s northernmost natural occurrence.
For thousands of years, the plant determined the everyday life of the civilization developing in the Nile Valley, and its motif often appears in religious beliefs and in Egyptian art representations.
Today, however, papyrus has completely disappeared from Egypt. The plant is very sensitive to changing ecological conditions and the decrease of the water level due to its root trunk, which is rooted shallowly in the mud. Today, due to drainage, the disappearance of its habitat, and human use, the natural stands of the papyrus have almost completely disappeared from the Nile valley. Since even the maintained papyrus plantations were abandoned after the appearance of parchment in the Roman era, neither wild nor cultivated papyrus remains in Egypt today.
What was the secret of its “flourishing” and what happened to it in the past centuries? In my presentation, I would like to shed light on these questions, in the light of cultural history and the transformation of landscape use accompanying changes in natural and environmental conditions.

Győry Hedvig, The coriander (sAw), an ancient Egyptian medicinal herb
Coriandrum sativum L. is an annual herbaceous plant that Linnaeus placed in the Umbelliferae family, changed now to Apiaceae (parsley) family. The fresh shoots have an unpleasant smell caused by the aldehyde content, which practically disappears as the plant ripens, and it is no longer felt at all on the seed. Its ancent Egypian equivalent is SAw, which can be derived from both etimological and medical point of view. Ancient Egyptians used its seed for various treatment of the mtw, in both meaning, as a medicament of the blood circulation and for the muscular system. Its origin has not yet been clearly established, and it is questionable, when ancient Egyptians started to use it. By the 18th Dynasty, however, it became an important medicinal plant, the use of which seems to diminish after the New Kingdom, to regain the popularity with different ways of use in the Greco-Roman medicine, and also in the gastronomy. This latter use can also be traced back at least until the New Kingdom, when SAw appears in several sources.

Győry Hedvig, Egyiptom növényvilága – 5000 év / Plant world in Egypt – 5000 years
If ancient persons were to go to Egypt today, they would marvel at the plants they saw in the market or in nature. From a historical point of view, Egypt’s flora has undergone significant changes. This can be traditionally researched using three different sources: the analysis of extant texts, the review of pictorial representations and the exploration of remains preserved in the archaeological record. In the case of the former, it is a serious problem that, on the one hand, many things were not recorded. In essence, only the plants of economic and cultural-religious importance – including medical texts, are known, and a few other plant names randomly mentioned. On the other hand, many words are known in this circle, the meaning of which is unique, so we cannot identify them. When it comes to depictions, the artists’ hands were strongly tied by the visual rules of the time, so many themes were not included in the repertoire, or the identification of the plant depicted is not always clear. In the case of the plant remains, the fragility of the plant, the lack of interest of the excavators, the gaps in the botanical knowledge and the storage difficulties all contribute to the fact that the picture obtained on this basis shows many deficiencies. Despite all this, it is clear that the composition of the cultivated and wild plants of Egypt has undergone a significant change in the past millennia, the reason for which is multifactorial. However, two elements stand out: human activity and the consequences of the gradual transformation of the climate.

Hanaa Ali Hassan Abdou (Hanaa Kandal), Plants and environmental change at Wadi Allaqi, Egypt
The transhumance pastoralists inhabiting Wadi Allaqi, Southeastern Desert of Egypt, have a long and a rich history of using their natural resources. The vegetation of Wadi Allaqi has been of considerable socio-economic importance to the desert-dwelling people as a source of food, fodder, clothing, shelter, protection and health. Their long-standing knowledge of the local system and sustainable utilization of resources, particularly pasture, have helped them to survive.
The construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s and the subsequent formation of Lake Nasser behind it gave rise to tremendous changes in the Wadi Allaqi environmental, economic, social, and political conditions. Both variety and distribution of vegetation have changed radically. Dense forests of Tamarix nilotica have appeared alongside with other species that were not recorded in WadiAllaqi before. In Lake Nasser, aquatic plants such as the Najas spp. have become prominent species. So, the natural resources of the Wadi Allaqi inhabitants have changed significantly, thereby affecting the relationships among the main components of the traditional Bedouin economy. The fresh water of Lake Nasser and the growing plants around have attracted nomads in the Eastern Desert who established themselves in semi-permanent residences on the lake shore. This changed their age-old lifestyle and led to important changes in their livelihood strategies.
This paper investigates changes in knowledge and use of vegetation by Wadi Allaqi Bedouin community. The main question in this study is how environmental changes have affected Bedouin knowledge and uses of species on which they are dependent: grazing, fuel wood, charcoal production and medicinal plants, and how they adapted to the new appeared vegetation.
This article aims to find satisfied answers on the basis of the author previous studies and the available literature. The overall objective is to highlight the potential of these practices for the sustainability of environment.

Hegazi, Hossam, Survival Herbs: How the Poor in Ancient Egypt Used Medicinal and Food Plants to Face Crises and Famine
This paper examines the relationship between poverty, climate change, and agricultural fluctuations in Ancient Egypt, focusing on their impact on the poor. It highlights how the poor used plants for survival, either as food or for medicinal purposes, especially during times of famine or crisis. The paper also discusses how social inequality from land ownership affected the poor and how climate challenges worsened their suffering .
Ancient Egypt faced numerous environmental and climatic challenges, with agriculture and the Nile being central to the economy. The Nile’s floods provided water for crops, but fluctuations in the flood levels led to crop shortages and price hikes, deepening the struggles of the poor. To cope, the poor relied on plants as essential food and medical resources. Wild and cultivated plants, such as cumin, fenugreek, and papyrus, were used for food and medicine. Cumin treated digestive disorders, fenugreek improved health, and papyrus was used to make tools, providing economic alternatives during crises. The poor also used medicinal plants, such as cinnamon and thyme as antibacterial agents and colocynth for pain relief. These plants reduced dependence on expensive treatments, improving health during difficult times.
Land ownership created a clear economic divide, as landowners and livestock holders were better able to cope with climate changes. The “Teachings of Dua-Kheti” reflected the struggles of the poor, noting how agricultural crises deepened social inequality and increased their hardships. Thus, climatic and agricultural challenges not only affected the economy but also widened the social gap, while the use of plants by the poor became a key survival strategy during crises.

Henn Tamás, Jurassic Park in Mecsek – a tropical paradise from the Jurassic period
Thinking on a geohistorical scale, the climate change that is still taking place today seems almost negligible. In the area of ​​Europe and the Carpathian Basin, over the course of millions of years, almost every type of climate, from warm tropical rainforests to harsh icy tundras, has appeared for longer or shorter periods, naturally in close connection with plate tectonics and other factors. These often very different climate types are primarily evidenced by the emerging fossil organisms and the physico-chemical characteristics of the rock layers. Indeed, the reasons for the accelerating climate change of the 20-21th century can be found in the burning of fossil energy carriers, but without black coal mining we would not know anything about the rich Jurassic fauna of the Mecsek region, for example. The fossils unearthed during mining bear witness to an incomparably rich flora, and the first dinosaur find of our country, the Komlosaurus. It also comes from these layers. On the basis of the more than 50 fossil plant species described so far, the prehistoric environment around 200 million years ago can be particularly well reconstructed, including the main characteristics of the climate and local variations. Based on all of this, the Lower Jurassic of Mecsek may have had a warm and humid climate that provided optimal conditions for vegetation similar to today’s tropical rainforests, and dinosaurs and various groups of other animals must have found a home in it.

Hevesi Krisztina, Why Black Cumin? Understanding a Coptic Magical Formulary and its Recurring Offering (P.Strasb. inv. K 549)
P.Strasb. inv. K 549 is a long Coptic magical formulary written on papyrus. The unpublished manuscript, which was edited in the framework of my dissertation and will soon be published in the book from it, includes numerous separate spells for various purposes, such as “a gathering” and “a separation”, and a drawing at the bottom of the papyrus. Not only is the text interesting from various perspectives, but its recurring elements deserve a more detailed study. One of these features is the repeated use of black cumin as an offering, which is unique, since none of the known Coptic magical texts refer to the application of this substance.
However, black cumin iscommonly attested in ancient Egyptian sources, for it was well-known for its therapeutic effects. The beneficialplant has been native to ancient Egypt since Antiquity and it still grows in the country, which leaves both its absence from Coptic magical texts and its sudden and repeated appearance in this papyrus unexplained.
In my presentation, after the short introduction of P.Strasb. inv. K 549, my main goal is to understand the reasons that lay behind the use of black cumin in this source and trace back those traditions in which it was still persistent. My methodology is both synchronic and diachronic, since this vegetal element has also been employed in traditional medicine outside Egypt, for example, in Greece and in the Near and Middle East.

Höhn Mária, Erdei fafajaink viszontagságos története a pleisztocéni klímafluktuációk idején. Kik a túlélők! / The turbulent history of our forest tree species during the Pleistocene climate fluctuations . Who are the survivors!

Kerényi-Nagy Viktor, A jewelery of the Agrobotanical Collection of the Hungarian Agricultural Museum and Library – The scientific and museological significance of the Lajos Simonkai Herbarium
An old and dusty herbarium teaches and tells stories about ages, people, destinies, life paths and, of course, plants… These herbariums are time capsules and keepers of memories, in which their creators enclose a piece of their own soul – open to everyone, but only with eyes that see and hearts that feel; and we can solve it with an understanding mind. This is how the line of practitioners of scientia amabilis, “the beloved science”, will be continuous, and this is how masters will pass the torch to their students spanning space and time. The Agrobotanical Collection of the Hungarian Agricultural Museum has eleven historical collections, the most valuable of which is Lajos Simonkai’s “Vegetation of the Forests and Pastures of Hungary”.
The brown, 48-volume leather-bound, codex-like herbarium contains about 2,000 species, about half of the flora of the entire Carpathian basin. The pressed plants take us around Historical Hungary and in some cases also to other countries belonging to the Monarchy. Here we can find the typical herbaceous plants of the coasts and sandy deserts, the forest-forming tree and shrub species of our central mountains, and then we return to the Carpathians to learn about the dwarf vegetation of the subalpine mountains. With one or two exceptions, all of the herbarium specimens are Simonkai’s collections between 1867 and 1902: thus he started his conscious, scientific and high-quality herbarium at the age of 16 in Eperjes.The collection contains a significant amount of plant forms described by Simonkai (missing in some cases) and some degree of type specimen and organinal material. This collection goes beyond its botanical importance: it gives a glimpse into the economic, social, community and scientific boom of the “happy times of peace” after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867. It shows that a high school teacher was able to visit the entire historical Hungary with the support of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, but mostly with his own financial resources. The collections were made at popular vacation spots, next to thermal spas, and hiking spots, but it also takes you to the most rugged mountain peaks that can only be climbed under difficult conditions.
The construction of the Simonkai Herbarium shows exactly how the Museum was able to provide significant resources for the creation and development of its collection, what high-quality professional exhibition was created at that time. It should be noted that the Millennium National Exhibition was held six months after its opening in 1896, and 5.8 million visitors saw it, which justified the establishment of the Hungarian Agricultural Museum. This collection shows that it was a social need to get to know the Hungarian flora, since these volumes could be picked up by visitors and flipped through the pages. At the same time, it is also a memorial, an imprint of an era: it records the state before major human transformations, since then many sites have been destroyed, several once common plant species have now become rare or extinct.
This collection provided a scientific basis for the writing of Simonkai’s magnum opus, the book “Corrected edition of the vascular flora of Transylvania”, based on which Sándor Jávorka’s (1883–1961) built the “Hungarian Flora”, to this day the most important professional literature of Central Europe. In addition to glorifying the past, however, this collection leads us into the future, as it is suitable for genetic comparative research, and there is hope that by taking the seeds of certain species from the herbarium and germinating them, we will resurrect rare or from the natural sites already extinct species.

Körösi Andrea, Mag- és famaradványok a Magyar Mezőgazdasági Múzeum gyűjteményében / Seed and wood remains in the collection of the Hungarian Agricultural Museum  
At the beginning of the 1960s, the Hungarian Agricultural Museum developed new collection circles and created collections based on them, including the Archaeobotanical Collection. The collection is unique in its kind, as it also contains excavation core materials that were collected in Hungary when the archaeobotanical research began in Europe.
Most of the material in the collection is made up of seeds and fruits, but there are also remains of wood and charcoal, fruit impressions and food remains.
The first material of the collection comes from the plant remains of the Aggteleki stalactite cave (1876) and the prehistoric settlement in Poland (1891) collected and processed by Imre Deininger. Borbála P. Hartyányi, Gyula Nováki, Árpád Patay and Andrea Torma supervised the expansion of the collection. Their goal was to collect archeological and botanical material covering the entire country.
The Archaeobotanical Collection contains seed samples from all historical periods, from the Neolithic to the modern era, mainly cereal remains, fruit and vegetable seeds, and a small amount of weed seeds.
The material in the collection provides significant help not only for archeological research, but also for plant cultivation and species-history research.

Lafli, Ergün and Martin Henig, Plant depictions on the Graeco-Roman gems in Asia Minor
This paper is devoted to the depictions of plants in Graeco-Roman Anatolia. The study material is from the local museums, from west to east, in Izmir, Ephesus, Akhisar, Aydın, Marmaris, İznik, Burdur, Ankara, Konya, Amasya and Gaziantep in various parts of Turkey.  The plants on Anatolian gems are wheat, poppy, palms and palm trees, olive trees, olive sprays, grapes, vines, other trees, wreaths of laurel and myrtle which are often hard to distinguish.Several engraved gems with plant iconographies are here divided into some types which are presented with their meanings, compositions and chronologies.
There is a yellow jasper intaglio from theArchaeological Museum of Izmir, acc. no. 013.490. On this gem a vessel containing two ears of cereal (Fig. 1) is depicted (13 x 11 x 3 mm, wg. 0.4 gr). In the centre of the field is a tall cylindrical vessel containing two ears of cereal; on the left at the same scale is either a vessel which narrows at the bottom and top and contains five cereal ears or more proably a palm tree which in glyptic representations generally has five fronds. On the right of the field is a seeding poppy head. If a palm is depicted it is presumaly a date palm. The gem is inscribed: there is a A on the left edge of the scene, and two letters, an illegible one on the left (most probably a Λ) and a (second) Λ on the right, under the line bordering the decorated area. The letters are perhaps an abbreviated version of the wearer’s name.

Maravelia, Alicia, Plants selected for the gods – plants chosen to cure: the case of pharaonic kyphi

Mufungizi Mutwangashaba Medard, Historical Trajectories and Future Prospects of Coffea arabica in a Changing Climate
Thepresentation aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the past, present, and potential future trajectories of Coffea arabica. It explores the history of this species by tracing its origin, speciation from Coffea robusta and Coffea eugenioides, as well as its evolution and global expansion over the past centuries. An overview is presented on the impact of one of the most devastating plagues affecting coffee plantations—the fungus Hemileia vastatrix, responsible for coffee rust.
The focus then shifts to contemporary challenges, particularly the impact of climate change on coffee production, with a specific emphasis on Brazil, the world’s leading coffee exporter, where coffee-growing municipalities, temperatures have been increasing by approximately 0.25 °C per decade since 1974and annual precipitation has been decreasing during the blooming and ripening periods. These changes are reducing the areas suitable for coffee production in Brazil.
Coffea arabica belongs to a genus rich in species, the vast majority exists in the wild. A review has been made of the currently accepted 132 species of the Coffea genus, highlighting their unique characteristics as well as the various biodiversity hotspots within the genus Coffea and the impact of climate change on these species.
Ongoing efforts aimed at ensuring that coffee to remain a viable and prosperous crop in the face of the environmental, economic, and social challenges of the 21st century. The conclusions emphasize the crucial importance of activities to ensure the resilience and sustainability of coffee, an emblematic beverage and a pillar of the global economy.

Mutwedu Mwishingo, Eli, Sustainable strategies for the future of Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Mull. Arg.  cultivation in Africa: addressing environmental and economic challenges
The sustainability of rubber plantations is currently undermined by environmental challenges linked to climate change and by economic constraints arising from fluctuations in latex prices. To meet these challenges, several adaptation strategies have been developed, such as rubber-based agroforestry (RAS) and the exploitation of its by-products (wood and seeds). This presentation, based on a literature review, aims to explore the initiatives implemented in African countries to meet these challenges. It examines the environmental and socio-economic benefits of RAS, assesses the potential for adding value to wood from plantations and analyses the specific features of rubber tree farming in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The literature shows that RAS offer significant advantages. As well as helping to mitigate climate impacts, they provide additional income for farmers, particularly during the juvenile phase of the rubber trees, and compensate for losses caused by falls in latex prices. The value of rubberwood in Africa remains limited, with production concentrated mainly on fuelwood and charcoal. In addition, although there is significant potential in the DRC, specific data on rubber cultivation is scarce, meaning that more in-depth studies are needed to guide policies to address these challenges. Close collaboration between farmers, researchers, policy makers and other stakeholders is essential to effectively address these challenges. This will ensure the sustainability of natural rubber production on the continent, while strengthening the environmental and economic viability of rubber plantations.

Nagy Dóra, Ínségételek és növények megjelenítése a Korgó valóság. Az éhezés és az élelmiszer-bizonytalanság tapasztalatai című kiállításban / Famine food and plants in the exhibition “Rumbling Reality. Experiences of Hunger and Food Insecurity”
Throughout history, crises such as wars, epidemics and natural disasters have often resulted in food shortages and starvation. As a response to food insecurity, we consider the so-called famine plants or food, as well as makeshifts. The exhibition entitled “Rumbling Reality. Experiences of Hunger and Food Insecurity” in the Ethnographic Museum, Budapest, gives several examples, how people resolved this situation.

Nagy-Laczkó Balázs, Az örökség, az emlékezet, a helyi identitás és a fák kapcsolata Békés vármegyében / The relationship between heritage, memory, local identity and trees in Békés county
In Békés county, among the plants that play an important role in local community memory, certain trees, often of the age of Methuselah, have a prominent role, which can rightfully be considered not only natural heritage, but also part of the local cultural and historical heritage. As a result of the transformation of the countryside, climate change, changes in the groundwater level and other, typically anthropogenic changes, some of the “living mementos” mostly belonging to native species, which are mostly well adapted to the previous environmental conditions, have recently become threatened. They started to die or just disappeared. Individual communities give different, but typical responses to these phenomena, which I try to convey in my presentation with a few highlighted examples, like a case study, highlighting the specific and dynamic relationship between people and trees, as well as built and natural heritage.

Nagy-Pölös Andrea, Gránátalma a magyar népművészetben / Pomegranate in Hungarian folk art
The presentation and recent appearance of the pomegranate in Hungary as a noble, bourgeois art, and then folk art motif, its symbolism, role as a sign of rank, as well as its forms of appearance are presented primarily on textiles and ceramics.

Ossama A.W. Abdel Meguid, Climate change mitigation and adaptation of museums in Egypt  
What has climate change got to do with museums? Climate change will impact all aspects of life everywhere, which means that climate change is relevant to all museums, and they can all fulfill roles in addressing climate change. Museums can incorporate climate change into their exhibitions, events and educational programmes, whatever their subject matter. These activities help support the elements of Action for Climate Empowerment, namely education, training, public awareness and public access to information. Museums can support climate action in other ways beyond their programming. For example, research based on collections may contribute to a better understanding of the impacts of climate change; making the results of such research available to the public in programmes would contribute to the elements of Action for Climate Empowerment. Museums can also address climate change directly through their operations, as they often consume vast amounts of energy and resources that contribute to climate change: curtailing their own emissions is one of the most important ways they can play their part in addressing the climate crisis. Museums are further implicated since many are publically funded institutions, with a reasonable attendant expectation that they could use public funding for public good. The particular role of museums as players in sustainable development was recognized most clearly in the UNESCO ‘Recommendation concerning the protection and promotion of museums and collections, their diversity and their role in society’ (UNESCO 2016). It is surely no coincidence that this Recommendation was made in the same year that the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement were agreed upon. While climate change is not specifically mentioned in the UNESCO Recommendation, the intent of the Recommendation is aimed at protecting and promoting cultural and natural heritage (which are of course threatened by climate change), advancing human rights, and fulfilling a positive social purpose. Nonetheless, while museums were heavily implicated in the original UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, they have been rather slow to address climate change in meaningful and impactful ways. This situation has improved in the last10 years or so, and activity is ramping up rapidly, but there is a long way to go and not much time to do it in. In this paper, we explore two questions: 1) how can museums helppeople develop their understanding of what climate change means to them? and 2) how museums can help facilitate a response to the climate challenge?

Sallée-Keresztúri, Barbara, Quo vadis Balaton? Egy kultúrtáj alakulása és alakítása a klímaváltozás tükrében / The development and shaping of a cultural landscape in the light of climate change
No matter how far back in time we look, we can see a continuous change in the image of the Balaton area. This more than 2,000-year-old cultural landscape with a sensitive ecosystem, mainly bearing traces of interventions based on social needs, has become an area exposed to socio-cultural changes as well as climate change-related effects in recent decades – together with several multifunctional cultural landscapes in Europe. While in the past the dominant forms of landscape use and habitats in the region (mainly forests, meadows, pastures, vineyards and fruit tree plantations) attracted visitors and those who settled here, recently the environment has changed along the lines of the decisions of these social groups, both in terms of planted and newly introduced plants. On the other hand, a set of erroneous decisions that do not fit the landscape can endanger the biocultural heritage of the region, and the transmission to future generations of knowledge related to the landscape and to that which “works” in the landscape.
We have an interdisciplinary project “Tanuló Térség Balaton” in cooperation with the Hungarian Biodiversity Research Society; one of the main goals of which is to create a sustainable vision based on the natural features of Lake Balaton. In its framework, we provide lectures and practical training on the topics of biodiversity and climate change for local and regional farmers, (small) gardeners, and for green area owners and interested lay people. The landscape-shaping role of native and alien (in many cases invasive) plant species (and invasive pests) is emphasized not only from an ecological point of view, but also from an economic, touristic-recreational and cultural point of view. To raise awareness of the problems, comprehensive approaches based on real research, surveys and data collection are necessary. For this, we involve local stakeholders in our biotic surveys whenever possible (e.g. Biodiversity Days), at the same time, we also give significant space to sustainability communication.
During the work with locals and stakeholders, the comments of the participants contain several common elements: affection for the values ​​and beauties of Balaton, concern for its future, fear of the largest lake in Hungary and Central Europe in the face of environmental, economic and social harmful effects, in a word, love of Balaton. Based on this, we feel it is our duty to raise awareness of the need to preserve biodiversity and restore ecosystems, emphasized by the European Union, as well as the connections between biodiversity and climate change.

Scheffer Krisztina, The Hortus Isidis Project”: The Castor – medicine or poison?
After the 2021 Plants and Health Conference, the joint research project Hortus Isidis was launched by the Semmelweis Museum and the Hungarian-Egyptian Friendship Society. This research focuses on the historical changes in the use of plants within the framework of “Materia Medica,” with a special emphasis on the medical history of plant usage. The scope of the project ranges from investigating the specific histories of individual medicinal plants to examining the changing applications of plant-based drugs for various diseases. The Hortus Isidis project spans a vast period and geographic area, studying the medical and pharmaceutical aspects of plants from antiquity to the recent past, from Europe to Egypt, America, China, and India. In my presentation, I will introduce the main research topics of the project.
In the second part of the presentation, I will provide a more in-depth insight into one of the research topics: the appearance and use of the castor oil plant (Ricinus communis) in Hungary. The history of castor oil, extracted from its seeds, can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where it was used not only for medicinal and cosmetic purposes but also for lighting lamps. Due to its active ingredients, castor oil has been recognized both in pharmacy and folk medicine, although its usage and perception have changed over the centuries. During my presentation, I seek answers to questions such as: where and how was it used, how was it cultivated, and can the study of its spread reveal anything about climate change?

Shehatta Attia, Venice Ibrahim, Medicinal uses of Meadow saffron (Autumn crocus) in ancient Egypt
Crocus is a gender of the family of Iridaceae, more than 400 species, subspecies, varieties and forms are found, with various different colors blooming at different times of the year.
Colchicum autumnale, commonly known as autumn crocus, meadow saffron, naked boys, or naked ladies, is a striking and toxic flowering plant and is often confused with the true crocus because of its similar-looking flowers, belonging to Colchicaceae family, while true crocuses are in the Iridaceae family. Colchicum autumnale is not the source of saffron spice, as true saffron comes from Crocus sativus, another crocus species.
Colchicum autumnale is highly toxic, containing colchicine, which is poisonous if ingested, and has been historically used in small doses in medicine.
Colchicine, a natural compound derived from the autumn crocus plant, has a long history of medicinal use, dating back to ancient Egypt, used to treat rheumatism, and other inflammatory conditions, and it was considered a valuable remedy. The active compound in colchicine works by reducing inflammation, which explains its continued use in modern medicine, as modern research revealed its effectiveness in treating a variety of inflammatory conditions, including pericarditis, gout, familial Mediterranean fever, and Behcet’s disease.
Colchicine, an alkaloid derived from the Colchicum autumnale, has a rich history dating back to around 1500 BC, as documented in the Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical text, describing its use for treating pain and swelling, indicating its long-standing role in herbal medicine.
The rich historical context of colchicine highlights the long-standing role of plant-based remedies in human medicine, while ancient Egyptians may not have known the exact scientific reasons how it worked, they were aware of its therapeutic benefits.

Soliman, Essam Ahmed, Overview of Archaeobotanical material excavated during ground water lowering project in Kom Ombo Temple
In 2018, during a large-scale ground water lowering in Kom Ombo, in the south of Egypt, was underway. Rescue excavations were undertaken USAID Program (Sustainable Investment in Tourism (SITE) bilateral agreement between the United States of America and the Government of Egypt. The contexts date to the Old Kingdom (ca. 2686–2055 B.C.), and to the Ptolemaic period (ca. 186–145 B.C.) and Roman period (ca. 30B.C.–442 A.D.) Period. The contexts are largely within settlement areas, but include a few funerary contexts.
Samples from the Old Kingdom are dominated by cultivated cereals (Hordeum vulgare and Tritcum dicoccum) and accompanying weeds of cultivation (Trifolieae tribe, Rumex sp., Lolium sp). The Roman Period is dominated by economic plants such as Vitis vinifera, Phoenix dactlyfera, and Olea europea, in addition to Hordeum vulgare and Triticium sp. This paper will present the material from the settlement contexts dating from the Old Kingdom and the Roman Period, while highlighting the patterns of change between both. Economic plants common the Late Roman Period, such as grapes, olives and dates are non-existent or at least rare in the Old Kingdom samples. Archaeobotanical samples from the different contexts are an opportunity to compare one area across a long time period.

Wahba, Afaf, Reed Coffin of an intact Old Kingdom burial, Southwest of step pyramid cemetery, Saqqara, Egypt
This paper presents and examines an intact reed coffin for a male burial from the Late Old Kingdom cemetery of Gisr-el-Mudir, south-west of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. The Egyptian Mission excavation revealed a number of reed coffins as examples of the use of botanical remains in ancient Egyptian religious and funerary practices. Petrie excavated the same type of coffin at Tarkhan, but its dating to the Old Kingdom was uncertain. The coffin in this study helps to support Petrie’s dating of this type of coffin to the Late Old Kingdom. This study also provides insights into the burials of high and middle class officials of the fifth and sixth dynasties from this cemetery.

Wilde, Heike, Ancient Egyptian Way of Classifying plant material: Understanding Antju and Senetjer
Incense and perfume are well-known to be among the offerings made to the gods in ancient Egyptian temples. Iconographic as well as written sources attest to them. In Pharaonic Egypt, inscriptions portray scented resins that are burned in censers for fumigating the sanctuary or cooked to make scented ointments for anointing the statuary. The most common products are “Antu” that is presented for anointing and “Senetjer” for fumigations.
It remains an open question what the particular substances named in these inscriptions meant for the temple cult. What remains a question is the fact that the identification of “Antu” as “Myrrhe” and “Senetjer” with “frankincense” is unsatisfactory, at least in context of temple inscriptions, mentioning varieties of tree products in these offering scenes. Whereas scholars tend to suggest identifications for single scents, aromatics, and plants in isolation, and to finding one-to-one botanical translations, the Egyptian records indicate a broader meaning for these terms.
Ingredient lists are recorded in Ptolemaic temples, the most complete coming from the so-called “laboratory” of the temple at Edfu, dedicated to Horus. Using cross-cultural study of the written and iconographic sources (Egyptology, textual criticism, linguistics, ancient Greco-Roman studies) together with results of experimental methods of organic chemistry and botany, this paper considers examples for descriptions of plant material in Ptolemaic temple inscriptions for a better understanding of the Egyptian classification system, and on this basis of the terms „Antu“ and „Senetjer“.