ALMOND (AMYGDALUS COMMUNIS, SYN. PRUNUS AMYGDALUS)

The Turkish word for almonds, badem, came from the Persian word bâdâm, ( Middle Persian vadam). It is found throughout the Turkic world, from East Turkistan to Anatolia. In its wild form, the almond grows in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. The cultivated form first appeared in the Near East in the early Bronze Age or slightly before. In Classical Turkish literature, the almond was most often mentioned with reference to its oval shape, serving as a metaphor for lover’s lips, eyes. The important elements in these metaphors are its oval shape and its sweetness.

Reference: Meyve Kitabı (Emine Gürsoy Naskali, Dilek Herkmen, eds.), Istanbul 2006; Lütfi Arif Kember, Ana Yurdu Türkiye Olan Ürünlerin Tarihi ve Ekonomik Bitkilerin Biyojeografisi (Biogeography of the Historical and Economic Plants Serving as Sources to Products Originating in Turkey), Istanbul: Tan Press, 1938.