The History of Spices and Condiments

Today, due to the technological evolution and worldwide trade, people came to enjoy foreign cultures regardless the East or West. More and more people travel around the world freely and explore exotic cultures. Among those pleasures, food can be the most interesting lure which represents the culture. This is because food is unique to the place. One of major aspects which enhance the uniqueness of food is its condiments such as spices and flavors. Chefs are enthusiastic in using flavors to stimulate epicurians’ appetites and to add special tastes to the cuisine. Although condiments tend to be considered subordinating part of food, they have very long histories and significant meanings in ancient times. In ancient times, condiments were highly valued, “as basic ingredients of incense, embalming preservatives, ointments, perfumes, antidotes against poisons, cosmetics, and medicines, and were used only to a limited extent in the kitchen (Rosengarten 16). Studying their histories and roots of the names, such as etymology, will help us to track down the ancient life, culture, and social values. And the use of condiments were much more expansive than today and played one of the most important parts in the world history, encouraging the civilization which allowed today’s worldwide trades. This research is focused on the etymologies of major condiment words such as salt, vinegar, pepper, cinnamon, and mustard, which have been highly valued from ancient time to today’s life. In addition, the migrations of those words in the world and expressions produced by wisdom of ancient people are also investigated.

Matsuya 2 I) History

In ancient times, salt was very precious and valuable before refrigeration, when salt was the major means of preventing meat from decaying. And salt was used as a medicine such as “smelling-salts.” It was believed that salt, with ammonium carbonate with some agreeable scent as lavender or bergamot, can be a stimulant and restorative in faintness and headaches. Therefore, spilling salt was considered to bring an unlucky omen among the Romans.

II) Etymological change Proto-Germanic *saltan Indo- European *sal-d-om ~ Old English salt, sealt Before 1100 sealt 13th salit 14-16th salte 16-17th sault Cognate with

Old Frisian, Old Saxon, Old Icelandic, Gothic, salt Middle Dutch sout Old High German salz Cognate outside Germanic Latin sal, salt Old Irish salann Welsh halen Greek hals

Latvian sals Old Slavic soli, sladuku Matsuya 3 Armenian al Tocharian sale salyiye

Sanskrit sal (in salila-m ‘sea’)

Although these forms have certain similarities, in Old Slavonic, sladuku meant “sweet.