CUMMIN 



34. Under the foreign term i^ H H-lo, *zi-la, the Chinese have 

 not described the fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), as erroneously asserted 

 by Watters 1 and Stuart, 2 but cummin {Cuminum cyminum) and 

 caraway {Carum carui). This is fundamentally proved by the prototype, 

 Middle Persian lira or zira, Sanskrit jira, of which H-lo (*zi-la) forms 

 the regular transcription. 3 In India, jira refers to both cummin and 

 caraway. 4 Although Cuminum is more or less cultivated in most prov- 

 inces of India, except Bengal and Assam, there is, according to Watt, 

 fairly conclusive evidence that it is nowhere indigenous; but in several 

 I districts it would appear to be so far naturalized as to have been re- 

 garded as "wild," even by competent observers. No doubt, it was 

 transmitted to India from Iran. Cummin was known to the ancient 

 Persians, being mentioned in the inscription of Cyrus at Persepolis, 6 

 and at an early period penetrated from Iran to Egypt on the one hand, 

 and to India on the other. 6 



Avicenna distinguishes four varieties of aimmin (Arabic kammiin), 7 

 — that of Kirman, which is black; that of Persia, which is yellow and 

 more active than the others; that of Syria, and the Nabathaean. 8 Each 

 variety is both spontaneous and cultivated. Abu Mansur regards that 

 of Kirman as the best, and styles it zire-i kirman? This name, accord- 

 ing to Schlimmer, 10 would refer to caraway, also called zire-i siah, n 

 while cummin is styled in Persian zire-i sebze or sefid. Caraway {Carum 



1 Essays on the Chinese Language, p. 440. He even adds "coriander," which 

 is hu swi (p. 297). 



2 Chinese Materia Medica, p. 176. Fennel is hwi hian Jp] ^ff, while a synonyme 

 of cummin is siao hwi hian ("small fennel"). 



s In the same form, the word occurs in Tibetan, zi-ra {T'oung Pao, 1916, p. 475). 

 4 G. Watt, Commercial Products of India, p. 442. 



6 Joret, Plantes dans l'antiquit6, Vol. II, p. 66. 

 8 Ibid., p. 258. 



7 Hebrew kammon, Assyrian katnanu, resulting in Greek kOuivov, Latin cumi- 

 num, cyminum, or ciminum; Armenian caman; Persian kamun. 



8 Leclerc, Traits des simples, Vol. Ill, p. 196. 

 • Achundow, Abu Mansur, pp. 112, 258. 



10 Terminologie, p. 112. 



11 In India, the Persian word siah refers to the black caraway (Carum bulbocasta- 

 num), which confirms Schlimmer 's opinion. Also Avicenna's black cummin of 

 Kirman apparently represents this species. This plant is a native of Baluchistan, 

 Afghanistan, Kashmir, and Lahul, mainly occurring as a weed in cultivated land. 



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