History of saffron stores from wild flowers, believing that divine intervention alone enables saffron's medicinal properties. Such evidence suggests that saffron was an article of long-distance trade before Crete's Minoan palace culture reached a peak in the 2nd millennium BC. Saffron was also honoured as a sweet-smelling spice over three millennia ago in the Hebrew Tanakh: In ancient Persia, saffron ("Crocus sativus" 'Hausknechtii') was cultivated at Derbena and Isfahan in the 10th century BC. There, Persian saffron threads have been found interwoven into ancient Persian royal carpets and funeral shrouds. Saffron was used by ancient Persian worshippers as a ritual offering to their
Trade and use of saffron buns" signify Methodist Sunday School outings and activities. Moroccans use saffron in their "tajine"-prepared dishes, including "kefta" (meatballs with tomato), "mqualli" (a citron-chicken dish), and "mrouzia" (succulent lamb dressed with plums and almonds). Saffron is key in the "chermoula" herb mixture that flavours many Moroccan dishes. Uzbeks use it in a special rice-based offering known as "wedding "plov"" (cf. pilaf). Saffron is also essential in "chelow kabab", the Iranian national dish. The use of saffron in south Indian cuisine is perhaps best characterised by the eponymous Kesari bhath - a semolina based dessert from Karnataka. South Asian cuisines also use