Floral scrolls, arabesques, or scrolling vines. A vegetal pattern of plants and flowers with rhythmically curving vines. This pattern is also found in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, and it came into Japan via the Silk Road. Although the specific flowers—such as in the peony scroll (botan karakusa) or the grape scroll (budō karakusa) can be the image source, many karakusa are abstractions, sometimes forming long lozenges or palmettes, as in the nindō karakusa.