Origin of the Spice and History

Though there is no agreement on the origin of garlic, it is suggested that the plant was native to either Central Asia or Northeast Iran, though some suggest that it is native to Siberia. What is generally agreed on is that garlic has been used for over 5,000 years as a medicine, a food and even a currency.

Early records indicate that the Egyptians worshipped garlic and even made clay idols of garlic bulbs, which were placed in the tombs of the fallen pharaohs. It is also thought that the workers who built the pyramids were fed garlic to help them in their laborious jobs and were given it as a form of payment. During the building of the pyramids, a shortage of garlic is said to be the reason for one of the only two times that the slaves revolted and refused to work. This shortage was said to have been caused by a flood in the Nile.