A later, more comprehensive Chinese herbal, Pen Ts’ao Kang Mu was published in 1596 BC by Li Shih Chen. The early publication mentioned more than a hundred medicinal plants including the spice cassia, which is similar to cinnamon (called “kwei”). The Egyptians also enjoyed flavoring their food with cardamom and cinnamon which they sourced from Ethiopia (3).Īccording to ancient myths, Shen Nung likely wrote Pen Ts’ao Ching (The Classic Herbal) around 2700 BC. Some ancient Egyptians even placed wooden figures of garlic cloves in their tombs to ensure a tasty and wholesome afterlife. Laborers who constructed the Great Pyramid of Cheops consumed onion and garlic to promote health as well as stamina and garlic cloves were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen. Onion and garlic were of particular importance. The New Testament refers to a religious tithing of “a tenth of your spices - mint, dill, and cumin” (Matthew 23:23) and spices were described as anointing the body of Jesus (Mark 16:1).Ī summary of ancient Egyptian medical practices, the Ebers Papryus (1500 BC), cited medical treatments consisting of caraway, coriander, fennel, garlic, mint, onion, peppermint, poppy, and onion (4). The people of Israel described manna bread as being “white like coriander seeds” (Exodus 16:31). In 1000 BC, Queen Sheba visited King Solomon in Jerusalem and offered him "120 measures of gold, many spices, and precious stones" (2 Chronicles 9:9). In the Song of Solomon, several culinary spices are mentioned including cinnamon and saffron (2). Spices are mentioned numerous times throughout the Bible. When leaves, seeds, roots, or gums had a pleasant taste or agreeable odor, they became in demand and gradually became a norm for that culture as a flavor enhancer.įrom the dawn of biblical times (17th century BC), spices were prized for a wide variety of uses including religious offerings, burial rituals, medicines, trade, and seasoning. Ancient civilizations did not distinguish between those spices and herbs used for flavoring from those used for medicinal purposes. They were also used as a way to mask unpleasant tastes and odors of food, and later, to keep food fresh (3). Over the years, spices and herbs were used for medicinal purposes. Early documentation suggests that hunters and gatherers wrapped meat in the leaves of bushes, accidentally discovering that this process enhanced the taste of the meat, as did certain nuts, seeds, berries, and bark. Beginning 6 million years ago, early man co-evolved with the flowering plants in the world around him (2). Emperor Charlemagne (AD 742-814) Early HumansĪbundant anecdotal information documents the historical use of herbs and spices for their health benefits (1). " Herbs are the friends of physicians and the praise of cooks"