In a field where daffodils were blooming until recently, as I pass by today, I see clusters of blue-purple Musukari (grape hyacinths) blooming here and there. Each flower resembles a bunch of grapes, with its bell-shaped blossoms facing downward. They are truly peculiar flowers. And for good reason, as the origin of Musukari dates back approximately 60,000 years. In 1960, blue-purple Musukari were found offered at a site where Neanderthals were buried around 60,000 years ago in the Shanidar Cave in northern Iraq. Since then, Musukari have been known as the world’s oldest burial flowers. Also, Yaguruma-giku (the cornflower), which was found in the coffin of Tutankhamun in ancient Egypt 3,500 years ago, is also blue-purple. In Europe, traditionally, blue-purple flowers have been regarded as noble flowers and have appeared in artworks such as paintings and ceramics, as well as novels. It is said that Musukari first arrived in Japan around the beginning of the Meiji era. Since then, Musukari have been cultivated in Japanese gardens, parks, and the precincts of shrines and temples, gradually becoming popular as ornamental plants. Musukari begin to bloom around the time when everyone is captivated by cherry blossoms. They are small flowers that bloom close to the ground, but they are noble flowers with a history and tradition.

少し前までは水仙の花が咲いていた野っ原に、今日通り掛かってみると、青紫色のムスカリが群れるともなく咲いています。一つ一つの花はブドウの房の様で、釣鐘型の形をした一粒一粒の花は全部下を向いて咲いています。なんとも風変わりな花です。それもそのはず、ムスカリの起源は約6万年前に遡ります。1960年、イラク北部のシャニダール洞窟から、約6万年前のネアンデルタール人が埋葬されていた遺跡に青紫色のムスカリの花が供えられていました。それ以来ムスカリは世界最古の埋葬花としても知られています。今から3500年昔のエジプトのツタンカーメンの棺に収められていた矢車菊も青紫色です。ヨーロッパでは伝統的に青紫色の花は高貴な花として扱われ、絵画や陶芸といった美術品や小説にも登場します。日本へムスカリが最初に入ってきたのは、明治時代の初め頃だと言われています。その後、ムスカリは日本の庭園や公園、神社仏閣の境内などで栽培されるようになり、観賞用の植物として広まっていきました。ムスカリは皆がサクラに夢中になる頃から咲き始めます。地べたに這いつくばる様に咲く小さな花ですが、歴史と伝統のある高貴な花です。