Ancient history of cardamom

Cardamom, popularly known as the ‘Queen of Spices’ is the second most important spice crop in the world, next to black pepper, which is known as the ‘King of Spices’. It is the third most expensive spice in the world, after saffron and vanilla.

Cardamom has a history as old as the human race. The earliest reference to cardamom is from the ancient city of Nippur, Sumaira, dated 2000 BC, on a clay tablet. It indicates that ground cardamom was mixed with bread and added to soups.

It is mentioned in ancient Vedic texts by Theophrastus in the fourth century BC and later by Dioscorides in the 5th century BC.

According to Taitreya Samhita (3000Bc), in ancient Hindu culture, sacrificial fire was a common ritual and in ancient texts, cardamom was an ingredient, along with several other materials, the sacrificial fire, solemnizing a Hindu marriage.

Cardamom grew in the gardens of the King of Babylon in 720 BC. It was used as early as the 4th century BC by Indian Ayurvedic experts and by ancient Greeks and Romans. Spices were the symbols of royalty and luxury and cardamom was used in the manufacture of perfumes during Greek and Romans times.

The ancient Egyptians chewed cardamom seeds as a tooth cleaner. It was featured regularly in the ‘Arabian Nights’ for its aphrodisiac qualities and the ancient Indians regarded it as a cure for obesity.

Cardamom is believed to be a native of India. It was probably imported into Europe in 1214 AD. Viking explorers visiting what is now Turkey about one thousand years ago brought it back to Scandinavia where it still remains a popular spice.
Ancient history of cardamom

History of Cardamom

History of Cardamom
Cardamom was an article of Greek trade during the fourth century B.C. The inferior grades were known as amomon; the superior as Kardamomon. By the first century A.D Rome was importing substantial quantities of cardamom from India. It was one of the most popular oriental spices in the Roman cuisine. Cardamom was listed among the Indian Spices liable to duty in Alexandria in A.D 176.

The cardamoms have long been and article of trade in India, certainly from the time of Ibn Sena in A.D. 1154. Surprisingly Marco Polo did not mention it in his travels, Portuguese traveler, Gracia da Orta in 1563 differentiated between the smaller, aromatic form (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton var. cardamomum) from India and the larger fruited form (Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton var. major) from Sri Lanka.

The world’s supply of cardamom up to 1900 came from evergreen monsoon forests of the Western Ghats in Southern India and Sri Lanka. The cultivation of cardamom commence much later. In Kerala, India, recorded that the cultivation of cardamom was actively encouraged by the Travancore government in A.D 1823, during which time special cardamom staff were attached to the forest department and the government had control over cardamom plantations and a monopoly over trade. 1903 was a disastrous year due to excess production in Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka) resulting in low prices and abolition of the government monopoly on cardamom plantations and trade.

It was recorded that as a plantation crop, cardamoms came into some prominence as a secondary crop in the wetter and more heavily shaded parts of Coffee estates in Mysore (Karnataka) quite early in the history of East India Coffee. But major development occurred at the end of the nineteenth century, when the Travancore government gave up its monopoly over the cardamom trade. From that time, the industry took its modern aspect.
History of Cardamom