The Lotus Flower

One of my favorite symbols in Egypt is the lotus flower. Any where you go, you can buy something with this beautiful flower on it, whether it be jewelry, linens, or painted pictures depicting Ancient Egypt.

In Egypt you can find three different varieties of the lotus flower: the white, the blue, and the pink which was introduced to Egypt from Persia. The most commonly used lotus in Egyptian art though, was the blue lotus. It is the one that is used as a symbol in Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs.

The lotus flower appeared in legends originating from ancient Egypt. It played an important part in ancient Egyptian religion. The pure white lotus flower, the only plant to fruit and flower simultaneously, grows from the mud at the bottom of ponds and streams. It has 15 or more oval, spreading petals, and a peculiar, flat seedcase at its center.

Because the lotus flower closed and sunk beneath the water at night and then rose and reopened in the morning, it became a symbol of the sun, creation, and rebirth. One of the creation myths says that on the first day, there was a giant lotus flower that rose out of the water and the sun itself came out of this flower.

One of the favorite things I possess is a necklace with a beautiful gold lotus flower. I do not buy much jewelry for myself, but every once in a while my husband will find just the right piece of jewelry for me and buy it for my birthday or for Christmas. I honestly have to say that I wear this necklace more than any other piece of jewelry (excluding my wedding rings, of course) that I have.

You can also buy it in oil form as a perfume here, and I just happen to have some of that also.

So, if you are ever in Egypt, be sure to look for the lotus flower in the form of beautiful jewelry, perfume, or even a beautiful picture for that someone special in your life. You won't be sorry.