Spice trading was conducted largely by sea routes with stops along ports in China, the East Indies (Spice Islands), India, the Middle East into the Mediterranean, and extending to ports in Genoa, Venice, and on to Britain. At one time Middle East peoples valued spices as highly as gold. In Europe: pepper became a precious commodity and was used as money both in the West and East; cinnamon is said to have once been more valuable than gold; trade in nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon in the Spice Islands enabled the Dutch to become extremely wealthy.
The discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco da Gama in 1499 marked the beginning of the world-wide Portuguese trade empire, but soon after that Portugal, Spain, England and the Netherlands competed with each other for dominance over the lucrative spice trade with 'East India'. Today the old fortresses and iron guns along the spice route still bear witness to violent invasions and to the recklessness with which 'the colonies' were conquered and exploited. The churches, temples and mosques in port cities of Africa and Arabia, India and South East Asia, however, symbolize the meeting of cultures and religions, of Orient and Occident.

Information source: UNESCO