Pancratium or Papyrus? That is the question...

"Papyrus" murals from Akrotiri, in the Santorini Archeological museum

I achieved another long yearned for goal of finally seeing the site of Akrotiri, the ancient Minoan era city on Santorini that was discovered and very partially excavated since I last visited Thera many years ago. One of the murals that has been expertly moved to the museum is this, which is our guide referred to as a painting of papyrus--a plant that does not grow natively in Santorini or anywhere in Greece for that matter. Theoretically, Minoans brought papyrus plants back to Crete and Thera (the other name for Santorini) and grew them, and subsequently painted them. I don't buy this  hypothesis.

(https://nurserylive.com/buy-aquatic-plants-online-in-india/cyperus-papyrus-plant-plants-in-india)

I "borrowed" an image of papyrus from an Indian website (rather as Elgin borrowed some marbles once), and beg you to compare this to the previous image: the resemblance is vague at best and specious at worst. "Fiddlesticks", say I! I don't think that the ancient Therans painted the elegant, but not very sexy papyrus at all. I think they had a much better plant near at hand that would have inspired them far more...

Pancratium maritimum

I've come to discover that others have determined that the ancient fresco is really a rather good depiction of one of the most gorgeous, certainly the most fragrant and wonderful wildflower that abounds on beaches throughout the Mediterranean (where it hasn't been supplanted by beach desecration and swimmers). Anyone who's spent any time on the beaches of Greece in the summer has certainly come upon this magnificent Amaryllid: its fragrance permeates the air for a vast distance and the crystalline flowers fascinate and delight.

Compare the images and see if you don't agree with me that the ancient Therans surely would have preferred to have this gorgeous white monocot on their walls, rather than a big green grass. Let's supress those papyrus-theorists once and for all!

Liberto Dario and Pancratium

Here's yet another image of sea daffodils being admired by a direct descendant of the artist who painted the original fresco. Case settled.