A wood native to Egypt, already in use in prehistoric times. Along with sycamore and tamarisk it is the most commonly worked wood. According to texts from the Old Kingdom, it came from Hatnub in Middle Egypt, and also from Nubia. The wood was mainly used to make ships, while the acacia blossom was used in floral wreaths. The Greek historian Herodotus, who visited Egypt in the fifth century BC, tells that the wood was used to make boats and also their masts. Other classical authors confirm the use of acacia for the manufacture of ships.