SPICES
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The Book
of Kings describes how Solomon welcomed to Jerusalem the Queen of Sheba,
whose kingdom was in South Arabia. She came with a very great retinue,
with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones.[1]
Although scholars debate whether in fact this story is 100% factual, it
is accurate that during this period (tenth century BCE), the spice trade
between African countries and southern Arabia, and between Syria and the
Mediterranean lands, was already brisk.
From
ancient times, perfumes and spices were popular commodities in the near
East, and the spice trade was a particularly active one. From both the
Bible and other classical sources it appears that the valuable plants
from which the coveted aromatic resins, incense, spices, and medicinal
potions were produced, were grown mainly in the kingdoms of southern Arabia.
From this area, major land and sea trade routes branched out to all the
great trading centers of the ancient world.
King Solomon had inherited
from his father David a kingdom which extended from the Euphrates (including
Syria and Transjordan) to the border of Egypt. This dominion brought with
it direct economic benefits and political sway, such as tributes in the
form of precious metals and raiment, spices and horses.[2]
More significantly, however, it gave him control of the major transport
routes between Egypt, Mesopotamia and Anatolia (international routes known
as Via Maris and Kings Highway), routes
to the south of Arabia, as well as a land link between the Mediterranean
and the Read Sea.
Along
these routes Solomon developed extensive land and sea trade, bringing
his kingdom tremendous economic advantage and greatly enriching the treasuries
of his kingdom.[3]
It has been suggested that the fortresses built in southern Israel during
the tenth century BCE were constructed during Solomons reign to
protect the spice caravans passing along the caravan routes, from south
to north.
Israel Museum
curator Michal Dayagi-Mendes writes in her essay The Spice Trade:[4]
Although
all these trade routes were well established, the transportation of perfumes
and spices was still long and hazardous. Many dangers lurked along the
desert routes for the spice caravans, and for the ships there were the
various perils of the sea, pirates among them. In addition, heavy taxes
were imposed on carriers of spices, especially on the overland caravans.
Natural historian Pliny records:
Fixed portions of frankincense are also given to the priests and
the kings secretaries, but beside these the guards and their attendants
and the gate-keepers and servants also have their pickings. Indeed, all
along the route they keep on paying, at one place for water, at another
for fodder or the charges for lodging... So that expense mount up to 688
denarii per camel before the Mediterranean coast is reached.[5]
"It
is no wonder that under such conditions, the prices of perfumes and spices
soared to exceeding heights....
In
later centuries, in their Diaspora settlements in the East Mediterranean
and Near East, Jewish merchants continued to trade in spices (as well
as other luxury goods). Although the Syrians at first led this trade,
the Jews took the leading position after the Arabs had conquered the Syrian
coast. They moved such commodities as musk, aloes, camphor and cinnamon
from the Far East along the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean trade routes
and ports; these activities were flourishing in the 11th to 13th centuries,
as attested to in genizah [6]
documents and responsa[7]
from the period.
With
the Turkish conquest, the Eastern routes fell into disuse. Christians
became more active in overseas trade, and they restricted the commercial
activities of the Jews; Italians soon replaced the Jews as intermediaries
with the Orient. By the sixteenth century, political and economic processes
including the growing trade with the New World, the opening of a direct
route to East India by the Portuguese, and the subsequent development
of Portuguese and French maritime trade with India and China
moved Jewish merchants back into the arena of spice trade.
In
the mid-sixteenth century, the New Christian Mendes family came to control
a major part of the commerce in pepper and other spices in northern Europe
(the largest market in Europe at that time). In the seventeenth and early
eighteenth centuries, Jews were trading actively in spices from Yemen
and India, from Lisbon (and following the expulsion from Spain and Portugal)
and Amsterdam, serving as agents in the European trading companies as
well as independent merchants.
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[1]
I Kings 5:1 [Back]
[2] I Kings 5:1, 10:25 [Back]
[3] I Kings 10:10, 25 [Back]
[4] Perfumes and Cosmetics in the
Ancient World. Jerusalem: The Israel Museum, 1989. [Back]
[5] Pliny, Natural History XII:65
[Back]
[6] A hiding room or storeroom, usually
connected with a synagogue, for the depositing of worn-out sacred
books and sacred objects. [Back]
[7] Answers to questions of Jewish law
and observance written by halakhic scholars in reply to inquiries
addressed to them. [Back]
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SPICES
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