The Clove Barons

Our guide in this attempt to comprehend the role of spice in history is John Keay, well-known for his studies of the Raj, especially the comprehensive India: A History.

Why was spice so important? From the dawn of civilisation, spices were burned as incense in religious ceremonies, purifying the air and carrying the prayers of people heavenward to their gods. They were also added to healing ointments and drunk as antidotes to poisons. To hide household smells, people burned spices daily in their homes. They were used as cooking ingredients — not only to add flavour, but also to make the food, which was often far from fresh, palatable, particularly in hot climates.

Where did it come from? The spice merchants traveled thousands of miles from the Molluccan islands, from the coasts of China and India, from Ceylon, Sumatra and Java to carry pepper and allspice, cinnamon, cassia, vanilla, cloves and nutmeg, turmeric and cardamom to Europe where they advertised their flavours, aromas and medical effects in kitchens and medicine shops.

In ancient times, the route lay through West Asia, and this lasted for thousands of years. The discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco da Gama in 1499 marked the beginning of the worldwide Portuguese trade empire, but soon after that Portugal, Spain, England and the Netherlands competed with each other for dominance over the lucrative spice trade with what they called East India.

Today, the old fortresses and iron guns along the spice route bear witness to violent invasions and the recklessness with which the Asian colonies were conquered and exploited. The churches, temples and mosques in port cities of Africa and Arabia, India and Southeast Asia, however, symbolise the meeting of cultures and religions, of Orient and Occident.

But precious goods were not the only things to be exchanged by the traders. Perhaps more important was the exchange of knowledge. The ports along the Spice Routes acted as melting pots for ideas and information. With every ship that left with a cargo of valuables on board, fresh knowledge was carried over the seas to the ship’s next port of call.

At the beginning of the modern age, the spice trade produced enormous profits, while today’s low-cost growing, harvesting and processing in countries with low-wage economies make spices cheap everyday commodities. The new popularity of exotic cooking and the revival of natural remedies have contributed to spices — once the object of far-reaching political and economic developments — regaining their original value as substances that give flavour to our lives.