{"id":6132,"date":"2026-05-15T00:57:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T21:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/journal.phaselis.org\/?p=6132"},"modified":"2026-05-15T00:57:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T21:57:55","slug":"pha-0194","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/journal.phaselis.org\/en\/2026\/pha-0194","title":{"rendered":"The Scent of the Gods, the Treasure of Kings: The Multifaceted Use of Saffron in the Ancient Mediterranean World"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tanr\u0131lar\u0131n Kokusu, Krallar\u0131n Hazinesi: Antik Akdeniz D\u00fcnyas\u0131nda Safran\u0131n \u00c7ok Y\u00f6nl\u00fc Kullan\u0131m\u0131<\/span><\/p>\n

MERYEM KARAKURT G\u00d6KSAL<\/strong>
\n\"\" https:\/\/orcid.org\/<\/a>0000-0002-9113-5343<\/a><\/sub><\/p>\n

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PHASELIS<\/em> XII (2026) 63-74
\n<\/strong>DOI<\/strong>: 10.5281\/zenodo.20052785<\/a>
\nReceived Date<\/strong>: 25.01.2026 | Acceptance Date<\/strong>: 22.03.2026
\nOnline Publication Date<\/strong>: 10.05.2026<\/p>\n

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Abstract<\/strong>: While the exorbitant economic value of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its historical equivalence to gold in the ancient Mediterranean are well-documented; modern scholarship has predominantly relegated the plant to the status of a luxury trade commodity. This reductionist approach obscures the complex socio-cultural, cultic, and pharmacological roles saffron played in antiquity. This study problematizes the strictly economic categorization of saffron by systematically investigating its multifaceted functions across the ancient Mediterranean world. Utilizing a multidisciplinary approach, the research cross-examines the literary accounts of ancient authorities, such as Theophrastus, Pliny, Dioscorides, Galen, and Strabo, with extant epigraphic and archaeological evidence. The paper first critically evaluates the geographic distribution of primary production centers, specifically focusing on prominent hubs in Cilicia, Lycia, and Sicilia. It subsequently analyzes the plant\u2019s integration into elite consumption practices, including gastronomy, textiles, pharmacology, religious rituals, and the perfumery industry. The findings argue that saffron transcended its material worth, functioning as a potent signifier of social stratification and a central element in cultural-religious paradigms. Ultimately, through a comparative analysis of ancient sources, this study re-contextualizes saffron not merely as a high-value raw material, but as a critical socio-cultural construct, opening a broader discussion on its symbolic dimensions in antiquity.<\/p>\n

Keywords<\/strong>: Saffron (Crocus sativus), Ancient Mediterranean, Use of Saffron in Antiquity, Luxury Consumption, Socio-Economic History<\/p>\n

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\u00d6z<\/strong>: Antik Akdeniz d\u00fcnyas\u0131nda safran\u0131n (Crocus sativus L.) fahi\u015f ekonomik de\u011feri ve alt\u0131nla e\u015f tutulmas\u0131 iyi bilinmekle birlikte, modern literat\u00fcr bu bitkiyi \u00e7o\u011funlukla yaln\u0131zca l\u00fcks bir ticari meta stat\u00fcs\u00fcne indirgeme e\u011filimindedir. Bu indirgemeci yakla\u015f\u0131m, safran\u0131n antik toplumlardaki karma\u015f\u0131k sosyo-k\u00fclt\u00fcrel, k\u00fcltik ve farmakolojik rollerini g\u00f6lgelemektedir. Bu \u00e7al\u0131\u015fma, safran\u0131n salt ekonomik bir ara\u00e7 olarak kategorize edilmesini sorunsalla\u015ft\u0131rmakta ve antik\u00e7a\u011fdaki \u00e7ok katmanl\u0131 i\u015flevlerini b\u00fct\u00fcnc\u00fcl bir perspektifle incelemeyi ama\u00e7lamaktad\u0131r. Multidisipliner bir yakla\u015f\u0131m\u0131n benimsendi\u011fi ara\u015ft\u0131rmada; Theophrastus, Plinius, Dioskorides, Galenos ve Strabon gibi antik otoritelerin metinleri, g\u00fcn\u00fcm\u00fcze ula\u015fan epigrafik ve arkeolojik verilerle \u00e7apraz okumaya tabi tutulmu\u015ftur. \u00c7al\u0131\u015fma ilk olarak Kilikia, Lykia ve Sicilia gibi \u00f6nde gelen \u00fcretim merkezlerinin co\u011frafi da\u011f\u0131l\u0131m\u0131n\u0131 ve \u00fcretim kalitesini ele\u015ftirel bir yakla\u015f\u0131mla de\u011ferlendirmektedir. Ard\u0131ndan bitkinin gastronomi, tekstil, farmakoloji, dini rit\u00fceller ve parf\u00fcm end\u00fcstrisi gibi se\u00e7kin t\u00fcketim pratiklerine entegrasyonu analiz edilmektedir. Elde edilen bulgular, safran\u0131n yaln\u0131zca maddi bir de\u011fer ta\u015f\u0131mad\u0131\u011f\u0131n\u0131; ayn\u0131 zamanda sosyal stat\u00fcn\u00fcn, dini sembolizmin ve k\u00fclt\u00fcrel kimli\u011fin g\u00fc\u00e7l\u00fc bir g\u00f6stergesi olarak i\u015flev g\u00f6rd\u00fc\u011f\u00fcn\u00fc ortaya koymaktad\u0131r. Sonu\u00e7 olarak bu makale, antik kaynaklar\u0131n kar\u015f\u0131la\u015ft\u0131rmal\u0131 bir analizi yoluyla safran\u0131 salt nadir bir hammadde olarak de\u011fil, Akdeniz havzas\u0131n\u0131n sosyo-k\u00fclt\u00fcrel yap\u0131s\u0131nda kritik bir unsur olarak yeniden konumland\u0131rmaktad\u0131r.<\/p>\n

Anahtar Kelimeler: <\/strong>Safran (Crocus sativus), Antik Akdeniz, Safran\u0131n Anik\u00e7a\u011fdaki Kullan\u0131m\u0131, L\u00fcks T\u00fcketim, Sosyo-Ekonomik Tarih<\/p>\n

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