History of Flower Arrangements

Flowering arranging is a popular hobby. Not only is it fun to do, but you get a beautiful arrangement at the end, that you and other people can enjoy. Have you ever thought about how flower arranging became so popular? This is something that spans across all cultures and eras. This article will tell you a bit about floral arrangements and history of this beautiful hobby.

Researchers have found that the art of arranging flowers go all the way back to the days of ancient Egypt. This goes back as far as 2,500 BC. Egyptians back then were using flowers to decorate their homes and their environment. These flowers were usually arranged in lovely vases. Simple arrangement was used in the home. Different cultures would Send Flowers to Egypt for this practice.

Arrangements that are more elaborate were used in formal functions. These can include funeral processions. Obviously, if the deceased came from a rich family, the flower arrangements can be very ornate and elaborate. Flowers were used at the burial sites as well. These included flowers and garlands that were worn by members and loved one's from the deceased's family. Evidence of how Egyptians used flower arrangements were found by archaeologists on ancient stone carvings, reliefs, and pictures that they found painted on the walls.

Different types of flowers were chosen by what the flower represents symbolically. Religious symbolism was highly significant and was emphasized. For instance, the water lily, or lotus flower, was often found in arrangements because it represented the Egyptian goddess, Isis. Popular species of flowers include the narcissus, rose and delphinium.

Egyptians were not the only ones who used flower arrangements in ancient times. The Romans and the Greeks utilized this form of expression as well. The Greeks used flower arrangements mainly for decoration and adorning purposes. To complement the flowers, the Greeks often used herbs. These were weaved into garlands and wreaths and were worn. Unlike the Egyptians, vases were not used very often because flowers wreaths and garlands were often hung. They may put plant parts, like olive branches, in terracotta containers. Branches that were leafy were used during weddings. Petals from flowers were often removed and tossed upon the bed or the floor.

Much like the Egyptians, the Romans and the Greeks also had their favorite varieties of flowers and plants to use. Among their favorites were the laurel, bay leaves, oak, ivy, acorns and parsley. You may have seen pictures of ancient Grecian athletes with laurel wreathe on their heads. These were given to the winners of sporting events and competitions like the Olympics. Wreaths not only go to winners of athletic competitions, buy they also were given to victors in poetic competitions. For the Romans, the wreath was a symbol of a victory in battle or war, and was worn by the military leader to honor his victory. Wreaths were often the symbol of honor and victory, and they were presented to honor leaders of the people, heroes, soldiers and champions in competitions.

Some of the favorite flowers of the Romans and the Greek are roses, lilies, violets and honeysuckle. Other types of flowers that were popular because of their shape and color, like marigolds and tulips. Often, flowers were a symbol of luxury. The wealthy and the powerful used them heavily in religious rituals. Much like today, the rose symbolized love to the Romans, and used lots of it. During banquets, roses and petals were often tossed onto the floor until they were ankle-deep or more. The scent from the roses often overwhelm during meals.

The Chinese use flowers arrangements back around 207 to 220 BC, during the Han dynasty. Flowers were used in medicines and in religious education. Cut flowers were usually placed on the altar. Carvings and paintings were discovered with flower arrangements depicted. These paintings were often found on vases, scrolls and silk fabric.

There is much more you can learn about floral arrangements and history of this lovely art form. In Europe, this became very popular during the middle ages. Monks grew herbs and flowers at their monasteries, and the elaborate flower borders found around the pages of their ancient manuscripts evidences this. In the later years, pictures with flowers were found around altars. An herb garden was very important for medicinal purposes. Plants were used in spiritual and physical healing, as well as sacred religious ceremonies.

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