The Science of Spice

20 World of Spice

WORLD OF SPICE

MIDDLE EAST

The Middle East has been at the heart of

the East–West spice trade for millennia.

The spice palette is bright and green on

the eastern shores of the Mediterranean,

and drier and more intense across the

deserts of Arabia, while Iran’s fertile lands

brim with sweeter, fresher flavours.

Cairo

SPICE REGIONS

Turkey p23

Syria p22

Lebanon p25

Israel p24

Egypt p28

Iraq p26

Iran p27

Arabian Peninsula p29

EGYPT

On to Europe

Istanbul

The city’s location

on the edge of two

continents made it

a meeting point for

European and

Asian spice traders.

Alexandria

This Egyptian city was the main

player in the ancient spice trade

until power shifted to the Romans.

Spices from Asia

From 700 to 1450 CE,

global commerce in spices

was dominated by Arab

merchants, who sailed the

trade winds to bring goods

from India and Southeast

Asia, including turmeric,

black pepper, cloves,

nutmeg, and nigella.

LEBANON

ISRAEL

SUMAC

Turkey is one of

the world's leading

producers of sumac.

CUMIN

Native to Egypt, cumin is

grown across the eastern

Mediterranean.

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