Collier Making Charcoal - Medieval Occupations at Suria

This collier making charcoal, is a black and white picture rescued from my archives and taken long ago in the annual medieval fair of a town called Suria. The man, a neighbor of this fortress village, was impersonating a coal burner next to this sort of rudimentary pit kiln. Back in medieval times there were lots of occupations which are long forgotten now or that have considerably changed. Read more and check pictures of old trades in my previous posts about Suria: The Potter, The Stonecutter and The Basket Weaver. Today's image looks better if enlarged.

Turmeric: A Spice Rooted in Catalan Medieval History

Resuming our Medieval Fair in Súria, we reach the spices stall, where I couldn't refrain from firing a bunch of shots on this big bowl of turmeric, a spice obtained from the dried and powdered rhizome of Curcuma longa, an Indian plant. It is an ingredient in curries, and in the Middle Ages its color made it a cheaper substitute for saffron. It originated 4000 years ago and is linked to Vedic culture in India, where it was used as a culinary spice and had religious significance. The name derives from the Latin terra merita (“meritorious earth”) due to the resemblance to the color of some minerals. It can be used as a dye for cloth or added to chicken broth or dairy products such as margarine. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, is considered to have medicinal properties as an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory. Although I am not particularly fond of yellow, I have to admit that Curcuma makes a wonderful subject for a colorful picture.