EmoryEmory UniversityUniversity HLTH 385: Botanical Medicine & Health Cultural Interactions with Spices and Herbs Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. Center for the Study of Human Health Learning Objectives 1. What are some ancient uses of spices? 2. List some spices from the Mediterranean, India, and from the Americas. 3. What is the relationship between the spice trade and the European renaissance? 4. What were the effects of the trade in nutmeg on European culture and for the culture of the Banda islands? 5. Do you think that globalization is a new or old phenomenon? Explain. Spices & herbs often function as both food and medicine Smell is 80% of what we taste Certain smells and tastes are particular to different cultures because of the plants they use in their cuisine –either locally grown or harvested –or acquired via trade routes Ancient Egyptians • Skilled perfumers >5,000 years ago • Aromatic plants used at home and in religious sites, and for cooking, medicine, cosmetics, perfumes, and mummification processes Ancient Egyptians and Embalming • Spices like myrrh, cassia, cinnamon, anise, cumin were used to stuff the body cavity • Not all of these were native to Egypt • Where did these plants come from and how did they get them? The Silk Road and Other Ancient Trade 100 BC‐ 15th CenturyRoutes AD – silk road trades A Melting Pot for Culture • Ancient spice trade led to cultural interactions between diverse populations – Egypt – Greece – Roman Empire – SE Asia (trade between Egypt and China dates to 1400 BC –and criss‐crossed over Arabia and India) – China Alexandria, Egypt Black pepper, Ginger and Cinnamon from India –and sold to the Mediterranean via Arab intermediaries. Ancient Alexandria was a center of the spice trade in the Mediterranean Berineke, Egypt Inscriptions in 11 different languages found in ancient trade center. Example of globalization – but 2,000 years ago? Ancient Berenike was a major maritime spice trade center. What were spices used for in ancient world? • Condiments or relish (nutmeg or mace) • Food preservative • Pickling meats • Fortifying wine • Concealing rancid smell and flavor of putrid foods (pepper and cardamom) • Medicines (aloe & bdellium) and ointments (lakawood & sweetrush) What were spices used for in ancient world? • Aromatics, perfumes, & bathing (sandalwood, balsam, spikenard, cloves) • Poison antidotes (putchuk or costum) • Garment cleansing, disinfectants, deodorants and breath purifiers • Religious rites with incense (myrrh, galbanum, camphor) • Embalming (cinnamon) • Art –painters color mixing (safrron, turmeric) Resins • Myrrh –Burseraceae family • Commiphora molmol (Engl.)Engl. ex Tschirch – Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, Arabia • C. gileadensis (L.) C. Chr. – Eastern Mediterranean, Arabian peninsula – Balm of Gilead • Used in: – Egyptian mummification – Religious rites as incense – Oral health (added to wine) – Analgesic Myrrh and ancient art The Myrrh‐Bearing Women. Cathedral of Bringing Myrrh trees into Egypt. Mural the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of from the temple in Luxor, Egypt. God. (Monreale, Italy (Sicily)). 12th century Resins • Frankincense –Burseraceae family • Boswellia spp. • Used in: – Charred resin made Egyptian kohl – Religious rites – Perfumes Spices from India and Sri Lanka • Cinnamon – Cinnamomum verum J. Presl, Lauraceae • Black pepper – Piper nigrum L., Piperaceae • Cardamom – several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum, Zingiberaceae • Gingers (Asia) Demand for spices in Europe helped foster the Renaissance • Fall of Roman Empire led to decline in spice trade • Spices in the Dark Ages in Europe (641‐1096) were mainly Mediterranean natives cultivated to a degree in monasteries Herbs from the Mediterranean • Saffron – Crocus sativus L., Iridaceae – Most expensive spice because made from stigma • Mint family herbs (Lamiaceae) • Carrot family herbs (Apiaceae) Demand for spices in Europe helped foster the Renaissance • Following the crusades (after 1090) there was an increased demand for spices as the crusaders acquired taste for the foreign spices. • Venice and Genoa became trade centers – especially for spices like nutmeg and mace • Generated an enormous amount of wealth – and this fostered the European renaissance • Cloves The ‘Spice Islands’ – Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry, Myrtaceae • Nutmeg and Mace – Myristica fragrans Houtt., Myristicaceae Mace (red aril growing around nut) nutmeg • Capture of Constantinopole by Turks (1453) – Loss of trade routes to Asia – Loss of supply to nutmeg (and location was secret held by Indians) – Impetus for the European age of exploration as they searched for new trade routes to get products in high demand Marco Polo and Travels Together with romance writer, Rustichello (Parisian) he 1254‐1324 wrote an account of his travels while in jail during the Venice‐Genoa war 1298‐1299) Negative impact of spice trade • Portugese were 1st Europeans to find trade route to islands • The same spice trade led to the exploitation and near extermination of other cultures • Portugese: the route to the ‘Spice Islands’ • Dutch monopoly on Spice Islands –45 tons of nutmeg in one shipment • Massacre of Banda people by the Dutch – used 16 warships Fort Nassau, 1646 to decimate and kill or enslave the living in Java Spices in the Americas • Allspice – Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr., Myrtaceae • Vanilla – Vanilla fragrans Ames, Orchidaceae • Chili peppers – Capsicum spp., Solanaceae Different cultures used similar species for aroma/spices • Example: The ginger family (Zingiberaceae) • Common ginger – Zingiber officinale Roscoe • Galangal or Thai ginger – Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd. • Myoga or Japanese ginger – Zingiber mioga (Thunb.) Roscoe • Fingerroot or Chinese ginger – Boesenbergia pandurata (Roxb.) Schltr. • Olena or turmeric – Curcuma longa L. • Black cardamom Zingiber officinale – Amomum subulatum Roxb. “Typical” spices/herbs associated with different cuisines • Chinese: star anise, fennel, Schezuan pepper, ginger, chili • Thai: Kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, galangal cilantro, chili • Japanese: black sesame, mustard seed, wasabe, seaweeds • Mexican: paprika, cumin, chili, cilantro, oregano • Indian: coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, tamarind, cardamom, chili Key Concepts • Fragrant plants have played an important role in diverse cultures for at least 5000 years • The spice trade dates back at least 3000 years and led to interactions among cultures from Southeast Asia, Africa and India and the Mediterraean • The desire for spices in Europe helped to foster the renaissance –or rebirth of European culture; Key Concepts • European domination of the spice trade often very negatively affected cultural traditions where spices are produced • Fragrant plants continue to play an important role in many cultures today although the significance and use of species changes over time..