21: Spices, Magnoliids, and Ancient trade Flashcards
Why were spices exceptionally valuable throughout history?
Used for flavouring and medicine; rare and hard to obtain due to long trade routes and mystical origins.
Where does true cinnamon come from, and what’s special about it?
From Sri Lanka; made from the inner bark of a small rainforest tree; the most prized cinnamon historically.
What were frankincense and myrrh used for in ancient times?
Used in religious rituals, embalming, and as medicine; valued for their fragrance and spiritual associations.
How was ginger traded before 1200 CE?
Traded by Arab merchants who kept its Asian origin secret from Europe.
Compare black pepper and long pepper.
Black pepper = unripe berries;
long pepper = tiny fruits from a flower spike;
long pepper was more popular until the Middle Ages.
How is saffron produced and why is it costly?
Made from hand-picked stigmas of Crocus sativus flowers; requires huge quantities, making it the priciest spice.
Where did cloves originate and how did they reach the Mediterranean?
From the Maluku Islands; reached the Mediterranean via trade by ~100 CE.
What are the two products of the nutmeg plant and their early uses?
Nutmeg (seed) and mace (seed covering); first used medicinally in India.
How did seasonal winds help spice trade by sea?
Predictable monsoon winds allowed reliable voyages for maritime trade.
What was the role of the Nabataean Kingdom in spice trade?
Controlled land and sea routes of incense trade, especially frankincense and myrrh (~300 BCE–106 CE).
What are magnoliids?
A primitive group of flowering plants with traits of monocots and dicots. E.g., cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg.
What is cinnamaldehyde?
Gives cinnamon its flavour and scent.
What is peperine?
Alkaloid in black pepper; pungent and antimicrobial.
