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Why Watermelons Look Different in Old Paintings
Watermelons are one of the most beloved fruits in the world. Easy to grow, large in size, sweet, juicy, and mostly seedless, watermelon is a summer favorite for many. But did you know watermelons looked and tasted completely different than it does today?
Origins of Watermelon
The ancestor of the modern watermelon is probably the desert melon found in the southern African Kalahari desert. Desert melons look a lot like the watermelon we know on the outside, but they look and taste a lot different on the inside. Desert melons are bland, hard to chew, and sometimes even bitter. The inside is yellowish-white and full of seeds; the opposite of what we know as watermelon today.
The first people to grow watermelons were ancient Egyptians around 4,000 years ago. Despite the bad taste, they grew watermelons for their high water content. Watermelons were a great source of fresh water during the summertime and they could be stored in a cool location for several months. Watermelons were also found in the tombs of Pharaohs whom Egyptians believed would need hydration on their journey to the afterlife.
The Spread of Watermelon
Watermelons stayed in Africa until around the 7th century when it reached some parts of Asia beyond the Levant region. Arabian traders brought watermelons to Europe and other regions of the Mediterrenian in the 10th century and it reached the far east to China around the same time as well. China quickly adopted watermelons and now became the largest producer of the fruit today, making up 67% of the total global production. In Europe and the Meditteranian, watermelons were less popular until the 17th century.
Even when watermelons gained popularity in Europe in the 17th century, the fruit looked a lot different than it does today. The red flesh was a lot smaller and the rind took up a lot more of the space. The fruit also contained a lot more seeds and was harder to eat. It is speculated that European watermelons looked almost identical to the ones depicted in the painting above.
