Spices have played an important role in history, fueling exploration and trade for centuries. They were highly valued commodities in ancient times and drove expeditions by figures like Christopher Columbus and Vasco da Gama seeking sources. Arab traders introduced spices to Europe and controlled the trade routes until the 15th century, when Portuguese navigators discovered a sea route to India, breaking the Arab monopoly and ushering in European colonialism in Asia focused on controlling the spice trade. The Dutch later gained dominance over the spice trade in the 17th century through their control of the Spice Islands.

1. THE SPICE OF LIFE
Vast fortunes made and squandered, powerful rulers seduced, ailments cured, and nations discovered - all
in the name of spice. Spices have always cast a spell on our imaginations. They flatter our senses: our
sight with their vibrant colors, our smell with their enticing fragrances, and our taste with their distinct
flavors.
Spices have been the catalysts of some of the greatest adventures in human history, from Christopher
Columbus to Vasco da Gama, as well as being the driving force for the British East India Company and the
British Empire, whose merchants turned London into the greatest spice market in the world for 200
years.
More dramatic, through the book Nathaniel's Nutmeg, is the transfer of Manhattan Island in 1667 to
England in exchange for the nutmeg rich island, Run, to the Dutch. Spices energize our daily adventures in
food and remind us of journeys to exotic places - and great nights out with friends and family.
PRIMITIVE BEGINNINGS
Though the word "spice" didn't appear until the end of the 12th century but the use of herbs dates back
to early humans. Early civilizations wrapped meat in the leaves of bushes, accidentally discovering that
this enhanced the taste of the meat, as did certain nuts, seeds, berries - and even bark.
It is claimed that the lavish use of spices in ancient times was a way to mask the often unpleasant taste
and odor of food, and later, to keep food fresh. We don't believe this myth as the cost and value of spices
has always been very high, so it would be unlikely that you would use something very expensive on
cheaper, less fresh, food.
PRECIOUS COMMODITIES IN ANTIQUITY
The first spice expeditions were organized in ancient times to ensure that these coveted commodities
would always be in supply. Legend has it that: in 1000 BC the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon in
Jerusalem to offer him "120 measures of gold, many spices, and precious stones." A handful of cardamom
was worth as much as a poor man's yearly wages and many slaves were bought and sold for a few cups of
peppercorns.
ARAB TRADERS
Arab traders were the first to introduce spices into Europe. Realizing that they controlled a commodity in
great demand, the traders kept their sources of supply secret and made up fantastic tales of the dangers
involved in obtaining spices. At the crossroads of land trade from India and sea trade from the
Mediterranean, spices played a huge role in Phoenician trade. The Phoenicians were expert merchants
and smooth navigators; so much so that at the end of the 14th century BC, spices were called "Phoenician
merchandise." These slick middlemen knew how to offer their services to kings as well as pharaohs in
order to extend their supply sites and possibly pave the way to India.
PEPPER REIGNS IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE
The Roman Empire, whose boundaries progressively extended from one side of the Mediterranean to the
other, couldn't ignore these bewitching spices. Cleopatra herself used a "very stimulating" food to seduce
Caesar. Huge quantities of saffron were strewn on the streets of Rome to celebrate Nero's entrance into
the city. The reputed excesses of ancient Roman food consumption were apparent in the wide variety of
seasonings used in the meals of the rich. Long pepper, the Roman spice of choice, was as omnipresent
as garum iberico (a special salty fish paste from Portugal) on the Roman tables. Without a doubt, spices
had become status symbols.

2. In the biblical story of the Magi, three kings from the exotic reaches of the Orient give gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Jesus Christ. Frankincense and myrrh were rare, very expensive
spices of the time. And in the 5th century,.
SPICES IN THE MIDDLE AGES
The Islamic heartland straddles the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe and was central to all
trade routes. Routes to and from southern Africa and Europe passed through African Islamic lands.
Routes to and from China/southeast Asia to Europe passed through key Islamic territory, as did similar
routes leading to India. The region, therefore, already had an advantage in the trade industry since many
of the routes traversed these lands either overland or by sea.
Simultaneously, as Islam continued fortifying itself and steps were being taken to convert more followers,
Arabs were becoming more and more involved in trading. Principally, spices became a key pillar of the
trade industry because they were not bulky, perishable, or breakable and thus could be carried/traded
over long distances easily. For these reasons the actual process of trading probably began with such
items. It continued to be successful since people began relying on them early on to preserve food, improve
their health, add taste to food, augment their personal appearance and smell, and perfume their houses.
Furthermore, the characteristically Muslim impact on the spice trade was revolutionary. Prior to Muslim
conquest, trading had been indirect and was accomplished by the connection of local merchants who
traded exclusively in their local area. They were involved in a trade-relay of sorts where the spices were
transported from one carrier to another to another, without any singular group making the entire journey
itself. When Muslim forces gained control over the trade, however, one of their first innovations was to
make this a direct trade, wherein Muslims would travel the entire length of the trade routes personally,
without relying on intermediaries. This markedly influenced their ability to spread the word of God and
Muhammad.
The specific agricultural products -- spices -- were actually conducive to this strategic use of trade to
spread religion. "Spice plants were limited in supply. They grew in particular areas ... and they could not
always be moved for cultivation elsewhere." (5) This made the continuity of the spice trade essential to
importers for a number of centuries since they had come to rely on the aromatic, medicinal, and
preservative qualities of spices users could not grow at home. From the 10th century on, the crusades
prompted a rediscovery of spices; seasonings made an obvious comeback to the tables of the great and
powerful European courts. It was mainly from the Orient, overland via Arabia and the Red Sea, Egypt and
the ports of Venice and Genoa that spices reached Britain. Venetian merchants, strategically located
midway between the Levant and Western Europe, became the great middlemen of the spice trade. They
sent their cargoes via Flanders and the Low Countries for sale in local markets to supply the Northern
European countries.
EUROPEAN NAVIGATORS SET SAIL
As with any great discovery, the opening of the Southern seaboard spice route was no accident.
Portuguese navigators and geographers had been working at it for over a half-century. Henry the
navigator, who encouraged exploration of the African coast, was the most famous of them. Christopher
Columbus set sail in 1492 to head west and find gold and spices, hoping to hit the Indian coast where
these precious commodities could be found. Controlling and supplying the spice market were key
objectives for the Portuguese and Spanish powers at the time in their goal to overturn the Arab and
Venetian monopoly in the Mediterranean.
Poor old Venice, The virtual monopoly - that it had held of the European spice trade and which had made
the Serene Republic rich - was doomed. One day in May 1498 Vasco da Gama anchored his ship off the
cost of India. The Arab merchants were shocked to see a Portuguese man on Indian shores. "We are
looking for Christians and spices," stated the Portuguese navigator, and with that, the Arabs saw their
monopoly crumble. The sea route to India was discovered at last.
Three months later da Gama set off on his return voyage to Lisbon, bearing news that the ruler of Calicut
was prepared to barter cinnamon and cloves, ginger and pepper for gold, silver and (strangely) scarlet
cloth. The European spice trade passed into the hands of the Portuguese, who held on to it - with difficulty

3. - for a century, only to lose it to the Dutch, whose trade with Java and the Spice Islands, as the Moluccas
came to be known, led to the formation in 1602 of the powerful Dutch East India Company.
By the 1680s, the Dutch had established a total monopoly of the highly profitable trade in cloves and
nutmegs, while the Portuguese retained a corner in the cinnamon business. At this period, British cooking
was still heavy with ginger and pepper, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. The food of Italy, Portugal, France,
Holland and Germany was similarly spiced and scented.
It was not until towards the middle of the seventeenth century that the British East India Company held a
monopoly on all trade with India and that the British began developing it’s cooking along lines we
recognize today. Spices and sugar were readily available and became relatively cheap, and were therefore
less prized and used with more discretion. But the economic value of these products declined as farming
sites increased.
CULTURAL EXCHANGE
Hindu and Buddhist religious establishments of Southeast Asia came to be associated with economic
activity and commerce as patrons entrusted large funds which would later be used to benefit local
economy by estate management, craftsmanship and promotion of trading activities. Buddhism, in
particular, traveled alongside the maritime trade, promoting coinage, art and literacy. Islam spread
throughout the East, reaching Maritime Southeast Asia in the 10th century; Muslim merchants played a
crucial part in the trade.
The Portuguese colonial settlements saw traders such as the Gujarati banias, South Indian Chettis, Syrian
Christians, Chinese from Fujian province, and Arabs from Aden involved in the spice trade. Epics,
languages, and cultural customs were borrowed by Southeast Asia from India, and later China. Knowledge
of Portuguese language became essential for merchants involved in the trade.
Indian merchants involved in spice trade took Indian cuisine to Southeast Asia, notable present
day Malaysia and Indonesia, where spice mixtures and curries became popular.European people
intermarried with the Indians, and popularized valuable culinary skills, such as baking, in India. The
Portuguese also introduced vinegar to India, and Franciscan priests manufactured it from coconut toddy,
Indian food, adapted to European palate, became visible in England by 1811 as exclusive establishments
began catering to the tastes of both the curious and those returning from India.
INDIAN INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
INDIA'S SHARE IN THE GLOBAL SPICE MARKET
The Indian spice industry is booming with a substantial increase in exports over the past few years. India
accounts for nearly 45% and 30% in terms of volume and value in the world spice trade.
The booming global spice market also poses good opportunities for the Indian spice industry to provide
quality spices at competitive prices. India faces stiff competition form China, Malaysia and Pakistan in
terms of pricing of the products. Manufacturers should therefore ensure consistency in supply, product
quality, pricing and marketing strategy to increase the share in exports.
Producers are incorporating latest methods and technologies to ensure higher quality of spices and herbs.
India is one of the prime exporters of pepper, chilies, turmeric, seed spices and spice derivatives to the
rest of the world. USA, EU, Japan, Pakistan and Sirilanka import these Indian spices in large volumes.

4. INDIA'S SHARE IN GLOBAL SPICE DERIVATIVE MARKET
Spice derivatives can be categorized into spice oil, oleoresins and essential oils. The demand for spice
derivatives is also increasing due to the hygiene, standardization and consistency factor. India contributes
nearly 70% to the world spice derivative market. It exports largely to the US, EU etc. Indian southern
states including Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu provide concentrated oils and oleoresins for use in
perfumery, pharmaceuticals, foods processing and industrial chemical industry.
GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE
Indian Government is providing financial assistance to farmers, growers and spice producers and has also
taken certain steps to ensure the availability of better quality spices, more hygienically processed spices
in order to boost exports. Indian spice board also provides financial and technical assistance to farmers.
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
Today, colonial empires have all but vanished, spices are used in almost everything we eat, and costs are
relatively low. It is hard to imagine that these fragrant bits of leaves, seeds, and bark were once so
coveted and costly. For centuries wars were waged, new lands discovered, and the earth circled, all in the
quest of spices. However, many of the spices have other purported properties as well as their culinary
uses, such as nutmeg which is believed by some to be an aphrodisiac.
Thanks to the vogue of international travel, we can engage in our own spice conquest now. We can stroll
through market stalls around the world where spices, perfumes, and exotic plants and flowers enchant
the senses. And when we take these scents and tastes of far-reaching places back to our homes, we are
again compelled to discover the allure of the unknown.
WORKS CITED
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SPICES. (2011, 12 5). Retrieved from THE EPICENTRE:
http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/spiceref.html
Farrell, K. (2011, 12 5). Arab Spice Trade and Spread of Islam: SPICE Case. Retrieved from TED
Case Studies: http://www1.american.edu/ted/SPICE.HTM
How Spices Shaped History. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 5, 2011, from THE SPICE TRADER:
http://www.thespicetrader.co.nz/history-of-spice
M., L. M. (1999). The History of the Spice Trade in India. Retrieved 12 5, 2011, from
http://english.emory.edu/Bahri/Spice_Trade.html
The Spice Trade, The Explorers. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 5, 2011, from ZANZIBAR:
http://zanzibar.net/history/the_spice_trade_the_explorers
Whipps, H. (2008, MAY 12). How the Spice Trade Changed the World. Retrieved 12 5, 2011, from
LIVE SCIENCE: http://www.livescience.com/7495-spice-trade-changed-world.html

5. PRESENTATION
POLITICAL SCIENCE#7
POLITICAL ECONOMICS
SPICE TRADE
PRESENTED BY:
1. FARAH AKRAM
PRESNTED TO:
MS KHUSHBOO
KINNAIRD COLLEGE FOR WOMEN LAHORE