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__NOTOC__[[File: Honey-main.jpg|thumbnail|left|320px|Honey]]Honey is probably one of the most ancient sweeteners known to us and used by humans. Additionally, it was probably consumed not only by us <i>Homo sapiens sapiens</i> , humans, but also Neanderthals (<i>Homo sapiens neanderthalensis</i>). In fact, very likely honey played a role in the evolution of the human desire and taste for sweet food products. Honey has played an important role not only in food consumption but also in medicine and even embalming in burial. Its prevalence in the New and Old Worlds have also made it widespread in use even in early prehistoric periods.

In the 3rd millennium BCE, both ancient Mesopotamia, in Sumer or modern southern Iraq, and Egypt show evidence of beekeeping having developed. Honey, at this point, was used as an offering for the worship of gods and for food consumption. Beeswax was also utilized for making lost wax products such as metals, candles, sealings, and even as dental filling. The importance of beeswax and honey, in fact, led to the development of beekeeping as an important profession already by the third millennium BCE. Beehives were kept in temples as well as by private beekeepers, who traded honey and beeswax. The Egyptians were known to make clay pots or for hives, suggesting by the 3rd millennium BCE artificial hives were now made. The creation of hives also included mud and twigs placed together to replicate more natural-looking beehives. The Hittite law codes mention fines given to those who would steel from beehives, indicating the importance that beehives had to the economy not only for food but also for wax.<ref>For more on early historical texts referencing honey and beekeeping, see Crane (1999) and: Kritsky, G. (2015). <i>The Tears of Re: Beekeeping in Ancient Egypt.</i> New York, NY: Oxford University Press.</ref>[[File:Jan-van-der-Straet Bauerlicher-Bienenstand.png|thumbnail|left|275px|Figure 2. Scene of beehive collection for extracting honey from the 16th century.]]Egyptian sources also indicate the Levant as a land of honey. The Egyptian hero Sinuhe indicates that beehives were being kept in the Levant in the 3rd millennium BCE. This depiction of the Levant as a "land of honey" may have later influenced references to the region in the Bible as a "land of milk and honey." Both in the Egyptian and Biblical references to honey lands that can grow honey are referenced as prosperous. In war campaigns in the region by the Egyptians, they mention taking honey as tribute, indicating the importance of honey as a food product but also, in Egypt, as something used in the embalming process in burials. This is also true in other cultures that embalmed, such as in ancient Georgia. Honey was also sacrificed to the gods in death, where honey jars have been found in Egyptian tombs.<ref>For more on the significance of honey to ancient Near Eastern societies, see: Dalby, A. (2003). <i>Food in the ancient world, from A to Z.</i> London ; New York: Routledge, pg. 179.</ref>

Egyptian sources also indicate In India, the Levant Vedas mention honey as a land of honeyspiritual product and reference its potential for healing. The Egyptian hero Sinuhe indicates that beehives Marriage ceremonies were being kept in the Levant in often symbolized with honey as a way to ward evil from the 3rd millennium BCEmarriage. This depiction of the Levant as a The term "madhu"land of was used for honey" may have later and likely influenced references to the region in much later Anglo-Saxon term "medu" for honey, which today has become the Bible as a "land of milk and term mead, an alcoholic drink that uses honey." Both in Chinese texts from the Egyptian and Biblical references to honey denote prosperity 1st millennium BCE record beekeeping as also an important activity in referencing ancient China. In ancient Greece, bees were also vital for providing honeythat was not only consumed to sweeten food but also used as offerings to the gods. In war campaigns in the region by the EgyptiansNew World, they mention taking honey as tributestingless honeybees were kept, indicating where the importance of Maya cultivated honey for use in alcoholic drinks (similar to mead) as well as a food product but also, in Egypt. In fact, bees for the Maya were treat as something used in pets and kept around the embalming processhouse, likely because they did not sting, although they could still bite. This is also true in other We know from various ancient cultures that embalmed, such as honey has been used to treat stomach ailments, ulcers, and various skin burns and wounds.<ref>For more on reference in Georgiavarious ancient societies to beekeeping and records of use for honey, which also used honey as part see: de Ruig, Ann. 2012. <i>The History of Man's Use of the embalming process for the deadHoney. In fact</i>Bloomington, honey jars have been found in Egyptian tombsIndiana.</ref>

In Indiathe Roman period, the Vedas mention honey as keeping was a spiritual product and reference its potential for healing. Marriage ceremonies were often symbolized with honey as a way to ward evil from mass industry that spread throughout Europe, the marriage. The term "madhu" was used for honey Middle East, and likely influenced the much later Anglo-Saxon term "medu" for honey, which today has become mead, an alcoholic drink that uses honeyAfrica. Chinese texts from the 1st millennium BCE record Pliny mentions beekeeping as also an important activity in ancient China. In ancient Greece, bees were also vital for providing honey that was not only consumed to sweeten food but also various parts of the empire and artificial large slabs would be used as offerings to collect the gods. In the New World, stingless honeybees were kepthoney made by bees, where the Maya cultivated honey for use in alcoholic drinks (similar was then applied to mead) as well as a variety of food. In factproducts, bees for the Maya were treat such as pets and kept around the housecakes, likely because they did not sting, although they could still bitemostly as a sweetener. We know from various ancient cultures, <ref>For more on the industry of honey has been used to treat stomach ailments, ulcersin the Roman period, and various skin burns and wounds.see: Carne 2009: 208</ref>

In the Medieval periodand early modern period (Figure 2), honey continued to be cultivated for its healing and medicinal use as well as for sweetening food. Wax was just as important to Medieval Europe as honey collection, where candles were mostly made. This made beekeeping a very important profession that allowed beekeepers and owners to develop substantial wealth relative to other professions. Wax was also used for seals and sealing documents, particularly official documents relaying important church business or royal edicts.<ref>For more on Medieval production of honey, see: Adamson, M. W. (2004). Food in medieval times. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, pg. 27.</ref>

In The taste of honey can be refined based on the types of flowers bees use. Australia probably has some of the 19th and 20th century, artificial most unique honey and new forms in the world due to the continent having many types of beehives were created flowers that are unique to make production more suitable for mass marketsit. While artificial hives have been known since the 3rd millennium BCEArtificial honey has also become well established, modern frame hives found which was already occurring in beehives kept by modern beekeepers were invented in 1814. The idea ancient periods where flour was often added to make it easier create a form of artificial honey. This has led to separate bees from a variety of grades and quality standards being created today by different countries. In the hives United States, grades A-C are used to more easily collect reflect the quality of honeyproducts.PreviouslyFloral sources of honey are also used for classification, smoke was including how many different flowers bees used to drive bees away create honey. After a period of decline in honey consumption in the mid 20th century, as sugar and then break artificial or natural hivessweeteners increasingly replaced honey as a sweetener, where honey has more recently reemerged as a product of greater interest and desire by consumers.<ref>For more on the quality of honey was then collected, see: Thacker, Emily. 2014. <i>The Honey Book</i>. James Direct, Incorporated. Hartville, Ohio. Eventually </ref> However, despite renewed consumer interest in 1852honey, honeybees have begun to decline in various parts of the Langstroth hive was inventedworld, which has now become where the modern way in which most natural honey is collectedscientific community does not have one clear answer for this decline. This innovation made us Possible reasons include pesticides and other chemicals killing honeybees or diminishing the number of the so-called "bee space," which was observed distance between each comb offspring that was large enough to keep a comb from sticking togethercan be produced. Such innovations While this decline threatens modern agriculture, it has also made beekeeping less destructiveaffected natural production of honey, as many other methods often destroyed not only where the hive but killed many price of honey has rapidly increased over the last decade.<ref>For more on recent events surrounding the beeshoneybee, see: Sammataro, D., & Yoder, J. (Eds.). (2012). <i>Honey Bee Colony Health: Challenges and Sustainable Solutions.</i> Boca Raton, often making the process of honey production unsustainable for beekeepersFL: CRC Press.</ref>

The taste ==Summary==Honey is perhaps one of honey can be refined based on our oldest continuously used known food items that likely has its origin long before the types rise of flowers bees usedmodern humans. Australia probably has some The evolution of the most unique honey in the world due has even led to the continent having many types of flowers our development for sweet tastes that are unique to ittoday often satisfied by sugar or artificial sweeteners. Artificial honey has Honey production was also become well establishednearly universal, which was already occurring even in the ancient periods world, where flour was often added to create a form New and Old World varieties saw different method of cultivation, including development of artificial honeybeehives. This has led Honey keeping, relative to a variety other food products, changed very little until about the mid 19th century, when artificial beehives developed into their more modern form that allowed the preservation of grades bees and quality standards being created today by different countrieseasier harvesting of honey. In the United StatesToday, grades A-C are used to reflect the quality rise of artificial honey has created greater standards of what constitutes as honey products. Floral sources After a period of decline when sugar replaced honey in many countries as a sweetener for products that were once sweetened by honey, such as cakes, more modern consumers are also used valuing honey for classificationits perceived health and food value, including how many different flowers bees used leading to create a reemergence of honeyproduction worldwide. However, with the recent decline of the honeybee in many countries, this food item is now under renewed threat.

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