ABSTRACT
It is well documented that sesame was cultivated throughout the Indo-European empires and exported in quantity from the time of Darius (521-486 BC) and during the Achaemenian period (Bedigian 1998, 2004). A summary by Arshi (1982) reports one ancient medical tablet that mentions the postoperative care of a surgical wound from Bronze Age Mesopotamia. That tablet recommends the application of a dressing consisting mainly of sesame oil, which acts as an anti-bacterial agent. Abu-Mansur (late 10th century) mentions sesame as a crop plant in Iran in his Al-abnieh an Haghaegh-ol-Advieh. Ershad-o-Zerat describes sesame cultivation in ancient Iran. Marco Polo described the sesame varieties were being cultivated in Iran and India.
