By: Srishti Mishra, Noga Baruch ,and Nathan Trivers

THEMATIC TIMELINE PROJECT #3: TRADE

DESCRIPTION Saffron- the dried yellow stigmas of the violet flowers of Crocus

sativus, a member of the Iris family. The stigmas must be harvested by hand, and it takes 225,000 of them to make one pound of saffron.

Rich yellow color

Strong perfume bitter honey-like taste

Taste is pleasantly spicy and bitter

The odor is tenacious

ORIGINS & FOLKLORE

Saffron is native to the Mediterranean and is grown in Spain, France, Portugal, India and Italy. Spain is considered the premium source of saffron. Its flavor is distinctive and agreeable in character.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. The ancient Assyrians used saffron for medicinal purposes. The Greeks and Romans used it to perfume their luxurious baths. The bright orange-yellow color also made saffron useful as a dye.

HISTORY OF SAFFRON

History of saffron spices traces back over 4000 years and involves many civilizations, countries, and cultures.

Saffron began being used in the middle east and then branched out to conquer hearts worldwide.

It has been used as a food seasoning, perfume, hair and clothes dye, and as a medicinal herb.

Researchers have shown through historic documents that saffron has its origin in the Zargos mountain range in Iran

HISTORY OF SAFFRON (CONT. 2) Cultivation of saffron became prevalent in

North Africa and Iranian ethnic groups played a very constructive role in conveyance and transfer of culture of planting and cultivating saffron.

Historical documentations and evidences indicate that from the old times, Iranians were deeply interested in cultivating and planting saffron eagerly.

Since its initial use at the beginning of its history, right up until today saffron spice has remained the most expensive spice known in the world. 

HISTORY OF SAFFRON (CONTD. 3) Saffron was quite popular among the Phoenician

traders, who carried it wherever they traveled. The ancient Assyrians used saffron for medical purposes.

The saffron harvest from the town Soli, located on the Mediterranean coast, was the highest in value, especially for its use in fragrances and medicinal creams.

For some 4000 years people have been willing to buy saffron for very high prices due to the rarity of the spice. The rarity of the spice is directly linked to the labor intensive production process.

PICTURES OF SAFFRON AND ITS USE IN FOODS

MORE PICTURES OF SAFFRON AND ITS USES AND IMPORTANCE

MAPS Saffron reached many places through many trade routes

Mediterranean

Silk RoadEuropean trade

Indian Ocean trade

SAFFRON’S INFLUENCESociety Language Literature

Arts & Architecture Religion Intellectual

-saffron was used in Spanish cooking

-to the Roman, saffron was a rare and wonderful

ingredient .Wealthy Romans bathed in saffron, and poured it in their wine, used it as potpourri, and gave some to their deities.

-in , there are celebrations of thanks for the saints that

brought saffron .

The name of the flower where saffron comes from, Crocus is from the Greek myth of Crocus and Smilax. Crocus loved and courted the nymph Smilax, but she tired of him and turned him into saffron.

-saffron was mentioned in the Hebrew Tanach as a sweet-smelling

spice .-mentioned

often in Chinese medical texts.

-in Greek art, saffron harvesting was portrayed in frescoes in 8th century BC. It is often portrayed with a goddess

supervising .

-In , it was used for ablution in sacred temples.

Both the Greek and the Egyptians believed it was an aphrodisiac

-Sumerians used saffron for magic

-Persians offered it to their gods

-Kashmir (who lived in ) believed two saints gave them saffron. To this day at the end of autumn there are prays of thanks

-saffron is the official color of Buddhist robes

-it was used by the Greek to get over hangovers and to remove sleeplessness.

-Arabs usedIt for medicine as an anesthetic.

-it was used for perfume and

ointment .-Greeks and Persian

bathed in saffron because it healed

wounds .

USES OF SAFFRON Saffron is mainly used as a colorant and flavoring

for cheeses, pastry, rice and seafood dishes. Saffron is popularly used in spice blends for the

following ethnic dishes from around the world: -paella: Spanish dish consisting of mainly

rice and seafood -curry: a side dish that pairs well with rice;

typically found in Asian countries - kheer: common Indian dessert -bouillabaisse: seafood stew

PROCESS OF OBTAINING SAFFRON Being sterile, the plant's purple flowers fail to

produce viable seeds Reproduction depends on human assistance Corms - underground bulb-like starch-storing

organs - must be dug up, broken apart, and

replanted - survives for one season, reproducing

via this division into up to ten "cormlets" that yield new plants

PICUTURES OF OBTAINING SAFFRON (UP TO MODERN TIMES)

TECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTION

Studies show that ultrasonication increased the extraction yield significantly and reduced the processing time.

Ultrasonication is the use of ultrasound waves to sonic ate material at high intensities to create bubbles in between the material being used

these bubbles will evntually build up to a point when they burst causing everything to collapse violently.

EXAMPLE OF ULTRASONIFICIATION

GOVERNMENT ACTIONS ON SAFFRON Saffron was extremely expensive and mostly

used by the rich for food, but mainly for decoration and to express their wealth.

It was sowed onto their clothes, poured in their wine, thrown around like potpourri, and they even bathed in it.

It was worth its weight in gold, therefore merchants often tried to steal it or to imitate it, or even adulterated it, make it impure, so it'll be cheaper and sold to a broader audience.  

Government punished merchants who practiced this.

Henry the 8th even threatened execution because he loved saffron so much

MORE GOVERNMENT ACTIONS ON SAFFRON Adulteration was first documented in

Europe's Middle Ages. when those found selling adulterated saffron

were executed under the Safranschou code. Currently, India has banned the export of

high-grade saffron to countries abroad. However the India-Pakistan conflict makes

Kashmir an exception. Kashmiri farmers combine the high-grade

saffron with cheaper Iranian exports. This has cost them much of their income.

CONCLUSION

Saffron is a stigma from a flower that is highly prized for its unique taste, color, and other uses

It influenced various aspects throughout history

including art, religion, and social structures.

Saffron was mostly used to divide the rich and the poor.

PROJECT CREDITS Nathan: Slides 2-7 and Slide 9

Srishti: Slides 1, 11-15, 17, and 18

Noga: Slides 8-10, 13,16, and 18