There is a prevalent myth which states that the first treatise on
spices was documented in 2700 BC when Shen Nung wrote “Pen
Ts’ao Ching” or “The Classic
Herbal”. This ancient book dwells on
nearly one hundred ‘medicinal’
spices and describes the use of the
cinnamon-like spice cassia.
In
1596,
a
comprehensive
guide to spices
‘Pen Ts’ao Kang
Mu’ was penned
by Li Shih Chen and there is evidence to
suggest that based on the popularity of the
spice cassia, the province ‘Kweilin’ (meaning
Cassia Forest) was established in 216 BC.
Nutmeg and cloves were brought to ancient
China and there is anecdotal evidence
suggesting that during 3rd century BC, Chinese
courtiers carried cloves in their mouths when speaking to the
king, in order to have a sweet aroma in their breaths.
The inhabitants of ancient Mesopotamia were very well
acquainted with herbs and spices. Cuneiform tablets and ancient
scrolls, dating back to 3rd century BC, provide ample proof about
the use of aromatic and odoriferous plants in food and for
medicinal purposes. In fact King Ashurbanipal of Assyria (668633 BC) wrote a long scroll that listed aromatic plants like thyme,
sesame,cardamom, saffron, poppy, garlic, cumin, anise,
coriander and dill.
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