Saffron slowly propagated throughout much of Eurasia and was later brought to parts of North Africa, North America, and Oceania. Saffron was detailed in a 7th-century BC Assyrian botanical reference compiled under Ashurbanipal. Documentation of saffron's use over the span of 3,500 years has been uncovered. Saffron-based pigments have indeed been found in 50,000-year-old depictions of prehistoric places in northwest Iran. The Sumerians later used wild-growing saffron in their remedies and magical potions. Saffron was an article of long-distance trade before the Minoan palace culture's 2nd millennium BC peak. Ancient Persians cultivated Persian saffron ("Crocus sativus" 'Hausknechtii') in Derbent, Isfahan, and
Saffron Building Society society' Saffron Walden Second Building Society became a permanent building society in 1857 and changed their name to The Saffron Walden Second Benefit Building and Investment Society on the Permanent Plan. In the same year the Society lent £1,730. In 1873 Henry Hart a printer, was Chairman and directors' salaries now stood at £1. Saffron Building Society The Saffron Building Society is a regional building society which has branches and agencies in the East of England. These span: Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk and London. It is a member of the Building Societies Association. Saffron Building Society was established in 1849.