Recent investigations of a Greco-Roman site at Sais have provided well-preserved archaeobotanical remains within a pile of metal fragments. The remains are compared with comparable modern taxa. The morphology and anatomy are studied using Light microscope (LM), Environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and X-ray computed tomography (CT). To investigate the preservation mode, Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis and elemental mapping are conducted. Results revealed that the archaeobotanical remains are exhibiting close affinity with modern juniper cones. Although, the studied archaeobotanical remains are buried for more than 2 millenniums, they underwent early stages of silicification and copper mineralization. These results are discussed in relation to other excavated objects in the find and to our knowledge and understanding of daily life in the Greco-Roman period.

Botany and Microbiology Department College of Science King Saud University P O Box 2455 Riyadh 11451 Saudi Arabia

Conservation Department Faculty of Archaeology Cairo University Giza 12613 Egypt

Department of Materials Engineering and Chemistry Faculty of Civil Engineering Czech Technical University Prague Thákurova 7 166 29 Prague 6 Czech Republic

Forestry and Wood Technology Department Faculty of Agriculture Alexandria University Alexandria 21545 Egypt

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