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History of Indian Cuisine Timeline
(c. 7000 BCE – Present)Indian cuisine is one of the world's oldest culinary traditions, shaped by thousands of years of history. It evolved through the agricultural practices of the Indus Valley Civilization, the spice trade, invasions and migrations, religious dietary customs such as vegetarianism in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, and influences from Persian, Mughal, Portuguese, and British cultures. Today it is celebrated globally for its diversity of flavors, regional dishes, and extensive use of spices. More Less
Ancient Origins
Indirect contacts between the Fertile Crescent and Indus Valley
9000 BCE
After 9000 BCE, a first period of indirect contacts between the Fertile Crescent and the Indus Valley seems to have occurred as a consequence of the Neolithic Revolution and the diffusion of agriculture, laying early foundations for food exchange between the regions.
Agriculture spreads to the Indus Valley
7000 BCE
Around 7000 BCE, agriculture spread from the Fertile Crescent to the Indus Valley, and wheat and barley began to be grown, marking a major step in the development of early Indian food culture.
Image source: History of Indian cuisine
Wheat cultivation begins in India
7000 BCE
With the spread of agriculture from the Fertile Crescent around 7000 BCE, wheat began to be grown in the Indus Valley, becoming one of the staple grains of the region's diet.
Barley cultivation begins in India
7000 BCE
Barley began to be grown in the Indus Valley around 7000 BCE as agriculture spread from the Fertile Crescent, adding an important cereal crop to early Indian cuisine.
Turmeric harvested in India
3000 BCE
By 3000 BCE, turmeric was being harvested in India. This vibrant golden spice would become central to Indian cooking and later gain renown worldwide for its color and flavor.
Image source: Turmeric
Cardamom harvested in India
3000 BCE
By 3000 BCE, cardamom was among the spices being harvested in India, contributing its aromatic sweetness to the emerging spice traditions of the subcontinent.
Image source: Cardamom
Black pepper harvested in India
3000 BCE
By 3000 BCE, black pepper was harvested in India. Often called 'black gold,' this spice from the Malabar Coast later drove much of the world's maritime trade with India.
Image source: Black pepper
Mustard harvested in India
3000 BCE
By 3000 BCE, mustard was being harvested in India, providing pungent seeds and oil that remain essential to many regional Indian dishes to this day.
Image source: Mustard plant
Trade and Exchange
Imports from the Indus to Ur in Mesopotamia
2350 BCE
From around 2350 BCE, evidence for imports from the Indus Valley to Ur in Mesopotamia has been found, demonstrating early long-distance trade connections involving the Indus civilization.
Image source: Meluhha
Clove heads found at Terqa
2000 BCE
Clove heads thought to originate from the Moluccas in Maritime Southeast Asia were found in a 2nd millennium BC site in Terqa, illustrating how far spices traveled along ancient trade networks.
Image source: Terqa
Key Facts
- The earliest evidence of Indian cooking dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 7000–3300 BCE), where people cultivated wheat, barley, and lentils and used turmeric, ginger, and garlic.
- During the Vedic period, a largely vegetarian diet developed under the influence of Hinduism, with later reinforcement from Buddhist and Jain teachings on ahimsa (non-violence).
- Mughal rule from the 16th century introduced rich dishes like biryani, kebabs, and kormas, blending Persian and Central Asian techniques with Indian ingredients and spices.
- Portuguese traders in the 16th century brought New World crops to India, including chilies, potatoes, tomatoes, and cashews, which became central to many regional cuisines.
- British colonial influence led to fusion creations like mulligatawny soup and kedgeree, while Indian food spread globally through migration, becoming hugely popular in Britain and worldwide.
Source
This History of Indian Cuisine timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.
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