All the world's nutmeg once grew on 10 tiny islands
The spice was so hard to grow that islanders called it a gift of the gods.
Fall of Civilizations · 21. Majapahit - Empire of the IslandsEvery nutmeg in the world once grew on 10 tiny islands. All of it came from the Banda archipelago, a speck of volcanic land, and passed through the busy ports of Majapahit, where hundreds of ships traded and archaeologists still find Chinese coins.
Growing it was so hard that the islanders claimed people could not grow it themselves. The seeds had to get into the ground within a week or they would not sprout, and the trees need fragile volcanic soil. The islanders called the spice a gift of the gods, gathered it where it grew wild in the forest, and kept the locations of the groves secret.
Still, the seeds traveled the world. Nutmeg reached Constantinople by the 500s and later flavored English ale in Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. At times in distant markets, it sold for more than an equal weight of gold, making Banda's rulers known as the Orurang Kaya, meaning rich men.
Questions people ask
Where are the Banda Islands?
The Banda Islands are in eastern Indonesia, part of the Maluku Islands once known as the Spice Islands. They are very small, low volcanic islands, only about 180 square kilometers of land in total.
Does all nutmeg still come from there?
No. After the Dutch seized the Bandas in the 1600s, they transplanted nutmeg to other colonies. Today Indonesia and Grenada are the largest producers, and nutmeg trees grow in many tropical places.
What is nutmeg used for?
Nutmeg is the brown seed of a yellow fruit, usually grated as a warm, sweet spice for baking, sauces, and drinks like eggnog. Its lacy red coating is sold separately as another spice, called mace.