Many people think that ancient times couldn’t compare to the things available to present-day luxuries, yet there are a lot of everyday items that can be traced back to ancient times. In this article, you will learn some of the ancient connections regarding nail polish, salt, mustard, and ginger ale.
Nail Polish
Surprisingly, nail polish is not a new concept. It has actually been traced back to ancient Chinese during 3,000 BC. Linked to royalty, it is believed that they colored their long nails with various colors of polishes. These polishes were comprised of gum Arabic, beeswax, gelatin, and other pigments. Nobility wore shades of gold, silver, red, or black. Interestingly, the people belonging to lesser classes were only allowed to pastel colors. Ancient Egyptians were also fond of colored nails. They were known to often dye their nails with henna or to use berries to stain them. Also, polish was not only a female beauty product. Military leaders in Egypt and Rome would paint their nails red before going into battle.
Salt
When it comes to one of the first seasonings used on food, salt was probably one of the leading options. Prehistoric people gathered their salt from the meat that made up the majority of their diet. As earlier people started to rely on agriculture as their source of food, they found that salt provided the salty taste for their vegetables they craved. They most likely got their salt from the sea. Salt would gradually come to the forefront as a way to season their food. It would also serve other important purposes, such as preserving foods, curing hides, as well as healing wounds.
Ginger
For many centuries, ginger has been known as a suitable remedy for nausea. The first time ginger ale was marketed to the public was around 100 years ago. A pharmacist from Toronto named John McLaughlin, kept experimenting with new formulas until he finally patented what the world now knows Canada Dry Ginger Ale. McLaughlin would later become one of the pioneers that created the technology that allowed mass production of bottling to take place. This would be the first time that people could take home soda in bottles.
Mustard
Ancient Romans actually brought mustard back from Egypt and then used the seeds to flavor their unfermented grape juice, which was called must. This is believed to be the way that the mustard plant got its name. The Romans also created a paste by using the ground seeds and used it as a medicinal preparation. It was also believed that the mixture was used as a condiment. However, the mustard that we use today was first prepared in Dijon, France, which dates back to the 13th century. The Dijon-style mustard is made from the darker seed rather than the seeds used for yellow mustard.
