The story of honey is an amazing story about the close relationship between humans and bees. About how long was the path from the first collected delicacies to the mass production of nectar. And how much effort needed to be made so that the wild insect could finally make friends with us.
The first mention of honey
Today, scientists are confident that primitive people began to hunt for beehives of wild bees back in the Stone Age. This skill passed to him from distant ancestors - the highest primates. For example, even today you can observe how our monkey relatives steal a sweet treat from these insects.
As for the indisputable facts, a unique cave painting was found in Arana Cave (Valencia, Spain). It depicts a man with a wallet who is climbing a steep rock or tree surrounded by wild bees. According to radiocarbon research, the age of this find ranges from 7-8 thousand years.
Ancient Egypt
Honey and bees were on a special account with the Egyptian pharaohs. Their images are present on many papyri and frescoes. For example, the oldest of them - Smith's papyrus dates from 1700 BC. It talks about how bee nectar can be used to heal wounds.
In addition, the history of honey in this country is closely intertwined with the ritual of death. The fact is that the ancient priests used this raw material as one of the ingredients for embalming mummies. Thus, nectar was one of the most expensive products on the Egyptian market. Only wealthy people could buy it, while the rest had to hunt wild bee hives on their own.
The first "beekeepers"
The history of honey tells us that the ancient Greeks were the first to study the habits of bees. They seriously thought to tame these insects. For example, the famous scientist Xenophon (approximately 400 BC) wrote a whole treatise on the art of extracting honey. It was a very informative work, which even today deserves the highest praise.
Another explorer of the bee kingdom is Aristotle. According to ancient sources, this philosopher had his own apiary. Naturally, it was very different from modern ones. But the very fact that the Greeks kept wild insects in 400 BC makes us bow our heads to their inventiveness.
The Roman Empire
In Roman law, honey and bees were protected by law. No one could harm the hives of the beekeeper, much less take them. The only exceptions were those cases when worker bees left their home and went to look for a new colony. Then, by law, they were considered no man's, and any beekeeper could shelter them at home.
It should also be noted that honey was a very valuable commodity in the Roman market. It was used for cooking, flavoring, and even medicine. There was a time when it was used as an additional currency. For honey you could buy things, building materials, slaves, and so on.
Asian countries
In India, honey began to be extracted 4-5 thousand years ago. This is evidenced by the texts of the ancient Vedas. According to them, this delicacy was one of the most valuable gifts of the gods. Therefore, its presence on the table promised well-being and health for the family.
The Chinese were much more sophisticated. In this country, honey was used to make medicines. What can I say, even working bees and drones were used in folk medicine. Healers believed that nectar was able to cure the stomach and spleen, and the insects themselves help improve blood circulation.
Japanese emperors also loved honey. In this country, it was used both in cooking and in medical needs. True, the local climate was poorly suited for beekeeping, and therefore the Japanese since time immemorial have been the largest buyers of sweet extract. Even today, they are in third place in imports, second only to the United States and Germany.
World of american indians
Native Americans are most fortunate. Their bees evolved into a special species that has been devoid of sting since birth. Therefore, in these parts of the world it was possible to collect honey without fear for your life.
As for the Indians themselves, they believed that the gods sent nectar to them. They believed in his miraculous power. For example, if you present honey as a gift on the altar, then higher powers will take care of the land and prevent drought from destroying it.
African tribes
If you believe the research of scientists, then the history of honey originates in Africa. Indeed, it was in these parts of the world that the first honey bee appeared. Therefore, it is not surprising that African tribes are best able to find this delicacy.
Their secret lies in the wonderful symbiosis of birds and humans. Honey guide - this is the name of the feathered baby that lives almost throughout the Black Continent. His name speaks for itself. The bird loves beeswax, and therefore easily finds hives in the wild.
Naturally, African peoples are aware of this feature. They tame honey guides, and then use them in their hunt. It is curious that even today, this method of extracting honey is used by local tribes.
The harsh Middle Ages
In medieval Europe, nectar was worth its weight in gold. This was due to the fact that most sweets were made on its basis. In addition, in those days, ordinary people experienced an acute shortage of high-calorie foods, and life-giving honey easily made up for the lack of energy.
This demand has led inventive people to come up with the first wicker hives. This was a major breakthrough in beekeeping. However, most of the rights to produce honey belonged to aristocrats and the church. Therefore, to obtain nectar in large volumes did not work.
Slavic craftsmen
Our ancestors knew well who brings more honey: wild or domestic bee. Therefore, they were actively engaged in flight-keeping (the original name of beekeeping in Russia). Instead of hives, they used huge, hollow wooden decks - sides.
Everyone could trade this product. But only a few were engaged in this profession. And all because flight support did not require a hefty strength and endurance, but - more importantly - ingenuity.
Modern apiary
Studying interesting facts about honey and bees, people came to the conclusion that they finally understood the principles of building a hive. The largest contribution to the development of beekeeping was made by the Russian scientist - Prokopovich Petr Ivanovich. It was he who, at the beginning of the 19th century, created the world's first frameless beehive - a slipper.
Beekeeping later turned into a whole science. Beekeepers of all countries worked diligently to improve bee houses. Ultimately, craftsmen built a modern cell hive. Its charm is that it allows you to collect honey without smoking bees from it. In addition, thanks to the ventilation system, the colony can breathe freely, which significantly increases the survival of insects.