There are multiple plants proposed as candidates for silphium. This species, Ferula drudeana, has been known to botanists since at least 1930. It does match ancient descriptions of the plant and its collection to extinction is plausible due to its habitat.
The evidence seems circumstantial.
The plant is a member of a very diverse family.
Sheep and goats like eating it, but they like eating all sorts of things. They have been raised in the area for thousands of years.
It grows rapidly after heavy rain, up to six feet (2 meters) in a month.
The volcano it was found on has unusual geology, and ancient people used that volcano as a source of obsidian.
A mountain habitat is often associated with rare plants.
It is difficult to cultivate, and requires the seeds to spend some time in cold temperatures. It is very interesting that Mahmut Miski was able to grow it in a greenhouse.
It contains a variety of interesting chemicals, but that's true of many plants used for seasoning or medicine.
The plant's range is a factor against it being silphium. Libya is quite far from Mount Hasan. However, Greeks were known to be in the area, and they could have taken the seeds there. I wonder if the ancient Greeks could have used yakhchals to expose the seeds to cold, wet environments. These ice houses are known from neighboring Iran, but primarily in deserts quite far from Mt. Hasan.
Given the huge value the ancients placed on silphium, I wonder if a sample of it might be found preserved in some ancient rich person's tomb. A DNA analysis of such a sample could reveal if this is the real deal.
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u/Gecko99 6d ago
There are multiple plants proposed as candidates for silphium. This species, Ferula drudeana, has been known to botanists since at least 1930. It does match ancient descriptions of the plant and its collection to extinction is plausible due to its habitat.
The evidence seems circumstantial.
The plant's range is a factor against it being silphium. Libya is quite far from Mount Hasan. However, Greeks were known to be in the area, and they could have taken the seeds there. I wonder if the ancient Greeks could have used yakhchals to expose the seeds to cold, wet environments. These ice houses are known from neighboring Iran, but primarily in deserts quite far from Mt. Hasan.
Given the huge value the ancients placed on silphium, I wonder if a sample of it might be found preserved in some ancient rich person's tomb. A DNA analysis of such a sample could reveal if this is the real deal.