The origin of artichokes is unknown, though they are said to have come from the Maghreb (North Africa), where they are still found in the wild state; the seeds of artichokes, probably cultivated, were found during the excavation of Mons Claudianus in Egypt during the Roman period. The various names of the artichoke in European languages all ultimately come from Arabic al-kharshuf (approximate spelling). The Arabic term Ardi-Shoki which means “ground thorny” is a folk etymology of the English name. The cardoon, a naturally occurring variant of the same species, is native to the South Mediterranean, even though it has not been mentioned in extant Classic literature. Artichokes were cultivated in Sicily during the Greek occupation, the Greeks calling them kaktos. In this period the leaves and flower heads, which cultivation had already improved from the wild form, were eaten. The Romans, who called the vegetable carduus received the plant from the Greeks. Further improvement in the cultivated form appear to have taken place in the Muslim period in the Maghreb, although the evidence is inferential only.
Globe artichokes are known to have been cultivated at Naples around the middle of the 9th century. (Source: Wikipedia Commons)
Canon EOS 5D Mark II ,Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM 1/4s f/7.1 at 100.0mm iso100. Combined several images into one using focus stacking with Helicon Focus.
Prints available through Imagekind.
Artichoke
The origin of artichokes is unknown, though they are said to have come from the Maghreb (North Africa), where they are still found in the wild state; the seeds of artichokes, probably cultivated, were found during the excavation of Mons Claudianus in Egypt during the Roman period. The various names of the artichoke in European languages all ultimately come from Arabic al-kharshuf (approximate spelling). The Arabic term Ardi-Shoki which means “ground thorny” is a folk etymology of the English name. The cardoon, a naturally occurring variant of the same species, is native to the South Mediterranean, even though it has not been mentioned in extant Classic literature. Artichokes were cultivated in Sicily during the Greek occupation, the Greeks calling them kaktos. In this period the leaves and flower heads, which cultivation had already improved from the wild form, were eaten. The Romans, who called the vegetable carduus received the plant from the Greeks. Further improvement in the cultivated form appear to have taken place in the Muslim period in the Maghreb, although the evidence is inferential only.
Globe artichokes are known to have been cultivated at Naples around the middle of the 9th century. (Source: Wikipedia Commons)
Canon EOS 5D Mark II ,Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM 1/4s f/7.1 at 100.0mm iso100. Combined several images into one using focus stacking with Helicon Focus.
Prints available through Imagekind.