History of Herbs in Crete- History of Herbs
among the green slopes of Knossos, stepping through some of the partially restored and originally enormous Minoan Palace, where Theseus slew the fearsome Minotaur in the Labyrinth, is an immensely elegant azure- blue monkey, sitting with one “hand” poised above a stylized saffron flower. Apparently monkeys were trained to pluck the orange stigmas form the heart of the saffron crocus because of their dexterous fingers and very long nails. Saffron was valued for the delicate flavor and colour it gave to food (it is highly prized today for the same reason), and is golden-yellow dye was used to colour cloth and tint the hair.
