The Spice Routes that stretched from Nusantara, China, India, Middle-East, to Europe were the routes that started from a search for spices which grew in Nusantara. These spices were then brought across the globe and left the traces that we can see today.

The spices that were used earlier by the locals to fulfill their daily needs (seasoning, health, rituals) stole the world’s attention when it arrived on the other side of the globe and triggered the fleets from faraway lands to sail to Nusantara. It became the drive for foreign nations to start looking for spices in spice islands, that it gave rise to cross cultures between the people of Nusantara and foreigners.

Before the arrival of foreigners, Nusantara once became mysterious lands for the European spice hunters. The Europeans often interpreted the spice islands as a place for mythological and fictional creatures. Myths, as well as mystical stories, also appeared in European sailors’ journals.

There are a lot of other fascinating stories about the history of international spice trades, including the development of spices in Nusantara before the arrival of foreign nations. Let’s take a peek at the 60 Seconds of the Spice Routes Exploration. Enjoy!