Spice Trade - Origin

The earliest trading caravans known in the human history carried spices. The early civilizations of the Mediterranean craved the spices of India and the lands eastward. The Egyptians used herbs and spices in their day activities. The Egyptian spice expeditions to east coast of Africa are recorded as early as three and four thousand years ago.

Cinnamon and cassia were treasured spices. Medical documents of about 1550 BC record use of anise, caraway, cassia, cardamom, mustard, sesame, fenugreek, saffron and other spices by Egyptians. The spices were not only used to flavor foods but for body ointments, anointing oils and ceremonial functions including important burial rites.

Spices are frequently mentioned in the Bible as a valuable commodity. The three wise men brought spices as one of the gifts for the baby Jesus.

For centuries Arabs acted as middlemen in the trade with East. For them the location was most suitable. To ensure their monopoly, they kept the source of spices secret from their Mediterranean customers, often narrating alarming tales about location of spices.

The Roman started sailing to India from Egypt in the first century AD. Stars were the only navigation system available to these early spice traders. A round trip to India took as long as five years. Romans brought back fabulous cargos and rapidly became extravagant users of spices for perfumes, cosmetics, medicine and cooking.

Around the same time, the Silk Route came into use. This overland route from China varied in its track depending on the political stability and taxes. However, with Han emperors extending their control over the central Asia, the merchants traveled to Rome in relative safety, carrying with them silk, jewels, cassia, cumin and ginger.

So the spice trade is very ancient indeed. When Europeans were living in a relatively underdeveloped atmosphere of woods, a thriving commerce between East and West flourished through out Indian Ocean and Asia. However, that was destined to change with the introduction of steamed ships.

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		The earliest trading caravans known in the human history carried spices. The early civilizations of the Mediterranean craved the spices of India and the lands eastward. The Egyptians used herbs and spices in their day activities. The Egyptian spice expeditions to east coast of Africa are recorded as early as three and four thousand years ago. Cinnamon and cassia were treasured spices. Medical documents of about 1550 BC record use of anise, caraway, cassia, cardamom, mustard, sesame, fenugreek, saffron and other spices by Egyptians. The spices were not only used to flavor foods but for body ointments, anointing oils and ceremonial functions including important burial rites. Spices are frequently mentioned in the Bible as a valuable commodity. The three wise men brought spices as one of the gifts for the baby Jesus. For centuries Arabs acted as middlemen in the trade with East. For them the location was most suitable. To ensure their monopoly, they kept the source of spices secret from their Mediterranean customers, often narrating alarming tales about location of spices. The Roman started sailing to India from Egypt in the first century AD. Stars were the only navigation system available to these early spice traders. A round trip to India took as long as five years. Romans brought back fabulous cargos and rapidly became extravagant users of spices for perfumes, cosmetics, medicine and cooking. Around the same time, the Silk Route came into use. This overland route from China varied in its track depending on the political stability and taxes. However, with Han emperors extending their control over the central Asia, the merchants traveled to Rome in relative safety, carrying with them silk, jewels, cassia, cumin and ginger. So the spice trade is very ancient indeed. When Europeans were living in a relatively underdeveloped atmosphere of woods, a thriving commerce between East and West flourished through out Indian Ocean and Asia. However, that was destined to change with the introduction of steamed ships.