Ancient Egyptians grew flax as an industrial crop.
Notes on verification
Multiple independent academic and educational sources (Nature Plants journal, UCL Digital Egypt, synchrotron research facility) consistently confirm flax cultivation as a major industrial crop in ancient Egypt. The sources corroborate both the scale (compared to grain production) and purpose (textile/linen production) of flax cultivation. The convergence of archaeological, historical, and scientific sources provides strong evidence.
Sources
- Ancient Egyptian agriculture (wikipedia)