Seeds excavated at the Syrian location Tell ed-derva have been dated to the second millennium BC. The oldest reference to cumin dates back 5,000 years as a mummification ingredient for the bodies of Egyptian pharaohs from ancient Egyptian archaeological site Originally cultivated in Iran and the Mediterranean region, cumin is mentioned in the Bible in both the Old Testament (Isaiah 28:27) and the New Testament (Matthew 23:23).
The ancient Greeks kept cumin in the dining stall in its own container as much as pepper is habitually kept nowadays, and this practice continues in Morocco. Superstition during the Middle Ages cited that cumin kept chickens and lovers from wandering. It was also believed that a happy life awaited the bride and groom who carried cumin seed throughout the wedding ceremony.
It was regarded as the ‘king of condiments, ‘ by Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder. In modern day Georgia and Africa, salt combined with cumin is still a popular seasoning. From the 7th century CE, Arab traders transported cumin on their spice caravans to North Africa and east to Iran, India and Indonesia and China. Consequently, it became a key component in many regional spice mixes including Baharat (Middle East), Garam masala and Panch phoran (India) and Ras el hanout (Morocco). It was brought to the Americas by Spanish and Portuguese colonists.