This is the first in a series of entries on a brief history of honey and its use in pre-1600's history.
Introduction:
Honey is an all natural food that has been produced by bees
for over twenty million years. There is evidence that man has exploited honey for
about ten-thousand years (Crane, 1980, pg 19). Bees and honey have been regarded
as sacred objects for just as long as evidenced by cave paintings. The earliest
known evidence of beekeeping, as opposed to honey-hunting, is 3,000 years old
(Friedman, 2008). Honey was a staple in the Medieval and Renaissance household
until sugar became cheaper.
Honey was an important
staple in the Medieval and Renaissance household and economy. It had more uses
than just food. It was used to barter with and make mead with. As sugar became
more popular and cheaper to produce, honey became less and less important.
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