Cinnamon — Antique Botanical Print

The Story in the Margin

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), often called 'true' or Ceylon cinnamon to distinguish it from the coarser cassia, is native to the rainforests of Sri Lanka, where its aromatic inner bark has been harvested for more than four thousand years. Ancient Egyptians imported it for embalming rituals as early as 2000 BCE, and in the classical Mediterranean world it was valued above gold by weight — a scarcity that Arab traders, who dominated the cinnamon trade by the tenth century, deliberately preserved by claiming the spice grew only in mountains inaccessible to humans. European powers later fought to control its source directly: the Dutch East India Company seized the Ceylon cinnamon trade in the mid-seventeenth century, followed by British colonial control in 1796. Sri Lanka still produces the great majority of the world's true cinnamon today, grown from the same aromatic laurel that once justified empires.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.