Article 33 – Role of spice in history

spices have been closely connected to magic, culture, tradition, preservation, medicine and embalming since yearly human history. Spices were a key component of Indians external trade with Mesopotamia, China, Samaria, Egypt and Arabia, along with perfumes and textiles has far back as 7000 years ago-much before the Greek and Roman civilization.

Between 7^th and 5^th century, Arab merchant supplied Indian spices to the west, but took care to keep their source closely guarded secret. To protect their market, discourage competitors and enhance prices, they are known to have spread fanciful stories to satisfy the curious such as cillamon growing in deep glens infested by poisonous snake- among other things.

Spices were very expensive and the country which had them was considered to be rich. They were a status symbol to the kingdoms and export of spices and trade from it were really beneficial.

Spices were an important and crucial source of trade in the early medieval ages. They were popular in middle ages.

The western countries lacked spices and as a result they had to pay heavily to get the spices.

By

Swayam R. Nandagaon VII

Love Dale central School