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The spice, which since first ages has affected human life to a great extent in religious beliefs, magic and spells, in our dining tables, in health and cosmetics, is one of the most deep-rooted cultural heritages of history. We witness history as this heritage continues its liveliness in our dining tables.

When we glance through the past we encounter riveting information about spices:

Spice in religious beliefs: Especially when we examine Egyptian history, do you know that spice is used in mummification, an indicator of the understanding of the other world ? According to this belief, the soul seeks for a body for itself in the other world when it is separated from the body after death. The body into which the soul will enter is protected against decaying thanks to a spice mixture. By this means, the body is made ready to serve for the belief.

Spice in health: In the data regarding the Hittite history, it is believed that diseases are given by God. The underlying belief is that God punishes human beings. It is thought that recovering from diseases is possible with some sorts of spices and plants.

Spice in magic and spells: In ancient history it was believed that magic and spells were purged from human body with the help of fragrant plants.

Spice in meals: With the invention of fire, fragrant plants and spices, which were discovered to add flavor and savor to foods, formed many cultures' cuisine and became worldwide known. Ottoman cuisine is one of these cultures.

Spice in perfume: Scent was introduced to human life in 4000s B.C. Pleasant odors were spread out through the smoke produced by fumigating, in other words burning fragrant plants and spices. The Latin word "perfume" was believed to derive from the root PER-FUME which meant "through smoke" and expressed the flagrance.

In today's world, the use of spice which still has the above-mentioned effects has become common with changing and developing food habits, tendency to ethnic and interesting meals and appearance of new food products.

Moreover, it has been brought to agenda to make use of spice in various forms and fields for medical solutions, medicine production, cosmetic industry and industrial usage.