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توسط History of saffron in the world
Based on the evidence, it seems that saffron was first discovered in the Bronze Age in Greece (4th millennium BC). The history of saffron production can be considered as ancient as “time”. It is said that Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of ancient Egypt and one of the most powerful and greatest female kings in the history of the world, went to a lion and saffron bath before meeting her suitors. John O’Connell wrote in the book “Spices” that the women of the Minoan civilization ( 2000 BC) dyed their clothes with saffron and used saffron and beeswax to prepare lipstick and cosmetics.
Throughout history, saffron has been used for everything from dyeing clothes, to writing spells, preparing food, makeup, and treating diseases. The ancient Romans also used saffron to make the public space fragrant. Even during the outbreak of the black plague, saffron has been used as an antidote. The popularity of saffron as a medicine reached its peak in the Middle Ages.
Saffron is a plant from the lily family that has many properties. Saffron is one of the oldest and most valuable spices throughout history, and the history of saffron can show us the path that this spice has had throughout history. The main place of saffron cultivation is the Middle East and East Asia, including Iran.
The wild type of saffron flower was probably saffron cartraitianus, whose roots go back to Crete or Central Asia.
If saffron is a mutated species of Kartraytianus, it probably appeared in Crete at the end of the Bronze Age.
Humans have probably eugenicized them by selecting the cartriteyanos with longer stigmas.
The resulting saffron can be found in the Assyrian botanical source of the 7th century BC, written by Ashur Banipal, and since then, it has been traded and used for 4 millennia and has been used in the treatment of ninety types of diseases. The saffron clone spread slowly throughout most of Eurasia, later reaching parts of North Africa, North America, and Oceania. Now the largest amount of saffron production is available to Iran, which produces about 90 % of the annual product.
Ancient Greek legends speak of fearless sailors who went on long and dangerous voyages to the remote areas of Cilicia, in order to obtain the world’s most valuable saffron from there, according to their belief.
The ancient inhabitants of the Mediterranean used to collect saffron from around the coastal city of Cilicia called Soli. The quality of this saffron was high and it was used in perfumery and pharmaceuticals. However, Herodotus and Pliny ranked the Assyrian and Babylonian saffron that grew from the crescent as the best saffron (for treating digestive and kidney ailments).
During the Greco-Roman period, the Phoenicians traded saffron through the Mediterranean Sea. Customers of saffron ranged from perfumers in Rashid and doctors in Gaza, to residents of Rhodes, where people would swallow it to get rid of the bad smell while going to the theater.
In Greece, saffron was also used by nobles’ lieutenants and servants. The great dyers of Saida and Tire (Lebanon) used saffron bath as an alternative; There, the royal robes, in the deepest part, were immersed in purple colors; Normal people’s clothes were also placed on the upper parts, which made the purple color lighter.
The history of saffron in Iran
The first export of saffron in Iran can be attributed to the Parthian period. Probably the first time saffron was taken to China, Greece and Rome among the Parthians. In the past, doctors used the properties of saffron for treatment. Saffron color has also been used as ink for writing commands and dyeing fabrics. In general, the age and history of saffron production in Iran can be considered about 3 thousand years.
The root of the word saffron is Arabic, and the Farsi Dari equivalent of the word saffron is derived from the word zarparan.
Zarparan means a flower that is as precious as gold.
The scientific name of the saffron plant is crocus sativvus, it is pronounced zefrun in Turkish, equivalent to English saffron, azafràn in Spanish, zuffron in Italian and safrane in French.
The origin of all kinds of spices in the world is the Middle East and East Asia. Several thousand years ago, the Silk Road was one of the main trade routes for spices in ancient history, and after the discovery of the sea route, spices from the Middle East and East Asia were imported to Europe and America. Iran, India and China were the main centers of spice production in the ancient world. One of the popular spices of Iran, which has been traded for thousands of years, is called saffron.
In ancient Iran, saffron flower grew wild. The history of saffron in Iran can be traced back to the Achaemenid period. Ancient Iranians at that time used saffron to flavor their food. During the Achaemenid era, the production of saffron in our country was very high, and it is interesting to know that this high figure was so high that in the royal court, saffron consumption was one kilogram per day.
Some researchers believe that the origin of the world’s saffron is the Mad state of Iran. But in contrast to them, some other researchers consider the world’s saffron to be in a larger area, which includes Iran, Asia Minor, Turkey and Greece. The history of saffron is known in Pahlavi and Persian sources.
The first cultivation of saffron became popular in the Sassanid period and from the city of Qom.
Sumerians used saffron as the main ingredient in medicines and magic potions. The Sumerians did not cultivate saffron. They collected saffron from wild flowers and believed that the divine power alone is able to provide the medicinal properties of saffron. Such evidence suggests that long-distance trade in saffron was prevalent before the cultivation of saffron in the Minoan palaces of Crete, which peaked in the second millennium BC.
In ancient Iran, in the 10th century BC, saffron was cultivated in the cities of Darband (Russia) and Isfahan. Iranian saffron strands are mixed with royal carpets and shrouds of the dead. In ancient Iran, worshipers used saffron as an offering to God, and as a bright yellow color, perfume, and medicine. Therefore, saffron strands were spread throughout the dormitory and mixed with hot tea to cure soda. In fact, foreigners suspected that the use of saffron threads by Iranians in tea and food has an addictive and sexually stimulating aspect. These fears increased and caused tourists and travelers to avoid consuming foods containing saffron in Iran. In addition, the aqueous solution obtained from Iranian saffron with sandal plant was used to wash the body after hard work under the scorching Iranian sun. Later, Iranian saffron was widely used by Alexander and his army. They mixed saffron with tea and ate saffron rice. Alexander personally, following Cyrus the Great, used saffron for bathing. Like Cyrus, he believed that saffron heals wounds, and his faith in saffron increased as a result of this method. He even suggested saffron bathing to his men. Greek soldiers, seeing the healing benefits of saffron, continued to use it after returning to Macedonia. Cultivation of saffron had also reached today’s Turkey, they cultivated saffron centrally in the north of the city of Safranbolu; This place is now also famous for its annual saffron festivals. Greek soldiers, seeing the healing benefits of saffron, continued to use it after returning to Macedonia. Cultivation of saffron had also reached today’s Turkey, they cultivated saffron centrally in the north of the city of Safranbolu; This place is now also famous for its annual saffron festivals. Greek soldiers, seeing the healing benefits of saffron, continued to use it after returning to Macedonia. Cultivation of saffron had also reached today’s Turkey, they cultivated saffron centrally in the north of the city of Safranbolu; This place is now also famous for its annual saffron festivals.
It is interesting to know that it was the Iranians who introduced the world to saffron and its properties because they sent saffron to different parts of the world such as China, Rome, Greece and Arab countries and introduced them to this wonderful plant. In addition, the Iranians taught the Muslims of the Mediterranean area how to plant saffron in the first to the fourth century AH.
The first saffron agricultural land and the first saffron farmers in the world:
Iranians who were exiled to the Levant because of Muawiyah started cultivating saffron for the first time in the world in the same area.
And over time, this agriculture spread and spread to Andalusia, Sicily and North Africa, and saffron was cultivated in these areas as well.
It is also good to know that Iranian tribes such as Bani Tabari and Rostamian had a significant impact on the spread of saffron cultivation.
Hamedan, the origin of Iranian saffron,
the main source of saffron in Iran is Hamedan, and even one of the cities of Tuisarkan, which is called Rudavar, is considered the main source for planting saffron. They have turned into villages, which means that the philosophy of existence of these villages has been saffron, which alone speaks for the influence of saffron in this region.
Also, in Bahar city of Hamedan province, there is a village called Rabat Zafaranieh, and the reason for this name is the high cultivation of saffron in that city.
But recently, problems have arisen in the field of saffron cultivation in Hamedan, which is the origin of saffron in Iran, and that is that alternative profitable crops have prevented the growth and spread of saffron cultivation, so saffron is not as lucky as it used to be, so many have forgotten it. and many do not know that Hamedan is the origin of saffron and its lands are quite suitable for growing this plant.
After the Arab invasion of Iran, saffron became famous in areas such as Borujard, Isfahan and Khorasan. With the invasion of the Mongols, the cultivation of saffron in Iran gradually decreases and reaches the verge of extinction.
But the people living in the mountainous regions of Qainat are gradually cultivating saffron and thus Khorasan province is gradually becoming the capital of saffron production in Iran and the world.
The reasons for the superiority of the name of saffron in the world, according to a researcher of saffron history :
- 1200-year-old native knowledge of planting and harvesting saffron in the world
- The unique climatic conditions of the region, the height of the region above sea level
- Texture and soil structure of saffron fields in Qaynat
- Harvesting saffron flowers before sunrise
- Belief factors and religious roots that have reduced fraud in the supply of Qaynat saffron to the market .
In the modern era, due to the efforts of the European Union and the United Kingdom, saffron cultivation has also reached Afghanistan. They are trying to promote saffron cultivation among the poor Afghan farmers, instead of the profitable and illegal cultivation of opium . Considering the warm and semi-arid climate of Afghanistan, they emphasize that this place is suitable for growing saffron.
