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__NOTOC__[[File:Black pepper (By R.Boroujerdi).jpeg|left|300px|thumbnail|Figure 1. Black pepper seeds.]]Visiting a restaurant in the Western world or even a home often means finding salt and black pepper as common condiments on the table used to give taste to our dishes. Salt has been native to many regions and is commonly found; however, black pepper was a far more limited plant (<i>Piper nigrum</i>) that natively grew in South and Southeast Asia. The spread of this pepper is intertwined with ancient trade expansion that once connected the length of the Old World. In more recent times, this pepper became a fixed a daily condiment.

==Early HistoryWhere does Black Pepper originally come from?==Archaeologically, we know that black pepper (Figure 1) was used at least by the 4th-3rd millennium BCE in India, although it likely goes even earlier. In fact, although pepper can be found in southeast Asia, it was probably India, and specifically, in the province of Kerala, that black pepper was most utilized or native to. For centuries, it most likely was not traded very far from its places of origin, remaining in India and influencing Indian cuisine to this day. Eventually, however, we begin to get archaeological data that suggest pepper made it to Egypt sometime around the 3-2nd millennium BCE. Traces of black pepper have even been found on Ramses II, specifically in his nose, suggesting it was used in the mummification process. It was likely also used in other parts of the Near East by the 3rd millennium BCE; however, plant remains of pepper are difficult to detect, so this can only be a conjecture.<ref>For more on the ancient use of black pepper, see: Ravindran, P. N., ed. 2000. <i>Black Pepper: Piper Nigrum.</i> Medicinal and Aromatic Plants--Industrial Profiles, v. 13. Australia: Harwood Academic, pg. 5.</ref>

ArchaeologicallyIn fact, we know that black pepper was used at least by trade and migration of Indo-Aryans in the 3rd and 2nd millennium BCE likely began to expand black pepper outside of its traditional confines in India. In factIndo-Aryans began to migrate across the Near East and Europe, although pepper can be found in southeast Asialikely bringing their foods and tastes with them. However, it was probably Indiaarchaeologically and historically, and specifically in the province remains of Kerala, that pepper are minimal. This likely suggests it was most utilized either not very popular or even strictly native totoo expensive for common consumption. For centuriesPepper can be preserved through drying easily enough, suggesting it most likely was not traded very far from preservation that would have been a major hurdle for its places of origin, remaining in India and influencing Indian cuisine to this dayspread. EventuallyHowever, however, we begin it's a relatively limited range where it can grow did likely make it more difficult to get archaeological data that suggest pepper made it export to Egypt sometime around some markets.<ref>For more on migration and the 2nd millennium BCE. Traces movement of black pepper have been found on Ramses II, specifically in his nosesee: Sidebotham, suggesting it was used in Steven E. 2011. <i>Berenike and the mummification processAncient Maritime Spice Route.</i> The California World History Library 18. It was likely also used in other parts of the Near East by the 2nd millennium BCE; however, plant remains Berkeley: University of pepper are difficult to detect so this can only be a conjectureCalifornia Press. </ref>

In fact, trade and migration of Indo-Europeans in the 3rd and 2nd millennium BCE likely began to expand ==How was black pepper outside of its traditional confines traded across the world in Indiaancient times?==[[File:Black_Pepper_-_Raw. Indojpeg|thumbnail|left|300px|Black pepper vine with raw peppers]]Trade-Europeans began in black pepper seems to migrate across have expanded by the 4th century BCE, reaching the Near East Aegean and into Europemore frequently. Black pepper was used as a spice for food, likely bringing their in particular meat. Dried foods with them. However, archaeologically and historically, remains of such as meat often lacked taste; pepper are very limited. This likely suggests it was either not very popular seen to make stored foods that were dried or too expensive for common consumptionsalted more flavorful. Pepper can be preserved through drying easily enoughThis period represented some of the early developments of what would become the Silk Road, suggesting it was not preservation that some of the trade in spices such as pepper and black pepper specifically would have been a major hurdle for its spreadcome via this route. With the conquests of Alexander, Greek colonists were now reaching India, and contacts became more common.

==Spread However, the major turning point was the knowledge of Black Pepper==the monsoonal and climate patterns that affected the trade winds along the Indian Ocean by the end of the 1st century BCE. This opened up new opportunities for direct sea voyaging between Europe and China via Egypt and the Red Sea, through land and sea routes, although an early version of the Suez Canal had also been developed by the Achaemenid period in the 5th century BCE. The connection via the seas also enabled China to now incorporate black pepper in its culinary diet, at least by the 2nd century BCE.<ref>For more on the spread of black pepper and the Silk Road Indian Ocean trade, see: McLaughlin, Raoul. 2014. <i>The Roman Empire and the Indian Ocean: The Ancient World Economy and the Kingdoms of Africa, Arabia, and India.</i> Barnsley, South Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military.</ref>

Trade The knowledge of important trade winds, development of major empires stretching across Europe to China (there were only 4 major states between Britain and China in black pepper seems to have expanded by the 4th 1st century BCECE), reaching the Aegean and increased contacts and movement of people in general now made pepper become commonly imported into Roman Europe more frequently. Black The Roman increasingly made pepper was used as a spice for foodpart of their diets, while its popularity spread in particular meatthe Near East and China. Dried foods such Traders in Arabia and the Middle East probably played important roles as meat often lacked taste; pepper was seen as a way to make stored foods that were dried or salted more flavorfulmiddlemen in the trade network. This period represented some not only made them wealthy, but they likely continued to have a hold of this connection even after the early developments fall of what would become Rome. Both the Silk Road, suggesting some of the trade in spices such as pepper and black pepper specifically would have come connections via this route. With the conquests of Alexander, Greek colonist Indian Ocean were now reaching India and contacts became vital to this trade.<ref>For more common. The major turning point, however, was on the knowledge role of intermediaries in the monsoonal Silk Road and climate patterns that affected the trade winds along the Indian Ocean by the end of the 1st century BCE. This open up new opportunities for direct sea voyaging between Europe and China via Egypt and the Red Seatrade, see: Elisseeff, through land and sea routesVadime, although an early version ed. 2000. <i>The Silk Roads: Highways of the Suez Canal had also been developed by the Achaemenid period in the 5th century BCECulture and Commerce. The connection via the seas also enabled China to now incorporate black pepper in its culinary diet, at least by the 2nd century BCE</i> New York : Paris: Berghahn Books ; UNESCO Pub. </ref>

==How was black pepper traded during the middle ages?==[[File:Calicut 1572.jpeg|thumbnail|350px|left|Figure 2. Painting from 1572 showing the harbor at Calicut in Malabar, a key export city in the spice trade since late Antiquity.]]The knowledge role of Arabian and Middle Eastern traders continued through the early Medieval period. After the disruptions of important trade windsRome's fall, development of major empires stretching across Europe pepper only began to China (there were only 4 major states between Britain and China make a comeback in Europe by the 1st century CE), and increased contacts and movement later parts of people in general now made pepper become commonly imported into Roman Europethe Medieval period. The Roman increasingly made King Ethelred exacted pepper part of their diets, while its popularity also spread as a tax to allow European traders in the Near East and ChinaAnglo-Saxon London. Traders Arab traders controlled shipping in Arabia the Indian Ocean and trade across the Middle East probably played important roles as middle men in the trade network. This not only made , giving them wealthy but they likely continued to have a hold lot of this connection even after the fall of Rome. Both power in the Silk Road and connections via the Indian Ocean were now vital to this tradeactivities.

The role of Arabian and Middle Eastern traders continued through the early Medieval period. Increasingly, however, Italian traders from Genoa and Venice became important in the Medieval trade in pepper to Europe. After the disruptions of the fall of Rome, pepper only began to make a comeback in Europe by the later parts of the Medieval period. King Ethelred exacted pepper as a tax to allow European traders in Anglo-Saxon London. By the late Medieval Period, the Italian traders from Genoa and Venice increasingly controlled much of the trade in pepper in Europe, where the price of black pepper in Europe became remained very high. This likely meant that it was not as commonly consumed as it may have been even in the Roman period. Arab traders also controlled shipping in the Indian Ocean and trade across the Middle East, giving them a lot of power in trade activities in Despite the Silk Road. All of the middlemen in the Middle East and Europe kept pepper prices far too high price for most people. Howeverblack pepper, pepper it was still one of the most important products in the Silk Road. In fact, it became the chief spice trade on the Silk Road. To keep prices artificially high, traders even made stories such as black pepper being guarded by poisonous serpents, indicating that it was difficult to get. The black color was suggested to result from the fires that traders had to make to scare the serpents away.<ref>For more on Medieval traders in spices and black pepper, see: Woolgar, C. M, T Waldron, and D Serjeantson. 2009. <i>Food in Medieval England: Diet and Nutrition.</i> Oxford: Oxford University Press, pg. 16. </ref>

In factTo a great extent, it was the rise of pepper prices of pepper and other products that put greater impetus to find new routes to India. Slightly before this time, Portugal was a rising power and had aspired to control the trade routes to India, with black pepper being one of their main interests. The trip around Africa, although yielding many new discoveries, was difficult and long. Nearly 30% of the cargo brought back from India was lost. European powers wanted to avoid having to have their trade to the east controlled by middlemen and, so long as prices were very high, then the consumer market would be limited. This prompted the eventual discovery of the New World, which was initially thought by Christopher Columbus to be a new route to India , including its spice trade, rather than a new continent all togetheraltogether.<ref>For more on the role of trade and the discovery of the New World, see: Hunter, Doug. 2012. <i> The Race to the New World: Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, and a Lost History of Discovery.</i> 1st Palgrave Macmillan pbk. ed. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.</ref>

The Dutch were able to gain control of the pepper trade by the 17th century, creating strong links to India, Ceylon, Java, and other areas in southeast Asiaareas (Figure 2). The rising power of the British East India Company in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the British Empire's fortunes increased, allowed them to take over the black pepper trade eventually. During this time, spices and pepper , in particular increasing , increasingly began to be under a near -monopoly of control by British traders. During the time of the Dutch and British control of the spice and pepper trade, it was by then that black pepper, once again, became had increasingly become common and prices depreciated considerably. By this time, middle class consumers were able to reasonably afford it and it was during the 17 and 18th centuries that pepper began led to emerge as a daily type of spice used to season meat mainlyits price depreciating considerably.

By this time, middle-class consumers were able to reasonably afford it. During the 17 and 18th centuries, black pepper began to emerge as a daily type of spice used to season meat and other foods.<ref>For more on the Dutch and their control of trade to India and Southeast Asia, see: Jacobs, E. M. 2006. <i>Merchant in Asia: The Dutch East India Company's Trade during the Eighteenth Century.</i> CNWS Publications 146. Leiden: CNWS Publications.</ref> In the 20th century, with decolonization and the demise of major holding companies such as the British East India Company, the trade of black pepper is was once again in the hands of the countries that grow grew it, mainly India southeast Asia. Today, Vietnam is the leading exporter of black pepper, accounting for about 34-35% of the total in trade of black peppertrade. Because of its wide spread widespread use that goes back to the Classical Period, when regions from Japan to Britain had developed tastes for black pepper, it has become the most common spice today.<ref>For more on the recent trade of black pepper, see: Prabhakaran Nair, K. P. 2011. <i>Agronomy and Economy of Black Pepper and Cardamom: The “king” and “queen” of Spices.</i> 1st ed. Elsevier Insights. Amsterdam ; Boston: Elsevier.</ref>