The History of Figs

The common fig probably originated in the fertile part of southern Arabia and ancient records show that the Sumerians and Assyrians were familiar with it.
Even though the edible fig most likely came from ancient Arabia, the cultivated fig industry most certainly began in western Asia or Asia Minor, probably in that center of ancient civilization between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers known as Mesopotamia.
Figs spread slowly through Asia Minor and Syria to Mesopotamia, Persia and the Arabian Desert, becoming highly developed in Iran, Armenia, and Afghanistan.
India first cultivated figs in the fourteenth century and edible native varieties can still be found growing in the Punjab hills.
The first verifiable report of figs in China was reported in the fourteenth century as well, and it is assumed that by then they were firmly established in the Far East.
Evidence indicates that the fig industry spread by the Phoenicians and the Greeks throughout the Old World, and that their efforts resulted in the introduction of figs along the African coast, Spain, Portugal, and up to the English Channel by the end of the 14th century and prior to introduction into Greece and Italy.
Figs were first introduced into the New World by Spanish and Portuguese missionaries, most notably to the West Indies in 1520 and to Peru in 1528.
From the West Indies, Greece, and France, figs quickly spread across the southeastern United States where they are most commonly known as a dooryard tree rather than a thriving commercial industry.
They were imported from the West Indies to Spanish missions in Mexico and subsequently spread to California with the Franciscan missionaries who planted them in the mission gardens at San Diego in 1769 and up the Pacific coast to Santa Clara by 1792, Ventura by 1793, and later on to Sonoma, giving the name Mission to those first dark purple California figs.
Along with the rush for gold, American settlers brought a wide variety of figs to California, and by 1867 there were over 1,000 acres of fig trees in the Sacramento Valley and 35 acres in the San Joaquin Valley. The most popular variety, the White Adriatic fig, was planted in a 27-acre orchard in Fresno as early as 1885, and produced the first carload of dried figs shipped by rail to the east in 1889.
The White Adriatic remained popular until the 20th century, but its quality when dried was inferior to imported figs, leading to the introduction of the Lob Injir variety of Smyrna fig. This new introduction grew and produced bountiful fruit but it all dropped by early summer, never maturing and ripening.
It was not until 1890 when C. Roeding demonstrated that caprification was necessary for these to set fruit. Finally, caprifigs imported by W. T. Swingle from Asia Minor, Smyrna, Mexico, Greece, and Algeria resulted in successful issue of the specific blastophaga (fig) wasp needed for pollination and the California commercial fig industry was born on June 23, 1899.
Today this popular golden-brown fig is the Smyrna variety that was brought to California’s San Joaquin Valley from Turkey in 1882, and was renamed Calimyrna in honor of its new homeland.
Impressed with the land in Fresno in spite of its hardpan and hog wallows, J.C. Forkner purchased 6,000 acres and planted figs in 1910 blasting holes through the hardpan with dynamite so that tree roots could get through to the deep soil beneath.
With an enduring belief in the American dream, J.C. Forkner subdivided and sold this land so that people could own a few acres of figs, build a home, and be prosperous on 1-acre to 1,000-acre plots with an average holding of 16 acres per owner.
About at that time, fig orchards covered much of the area that is within the city limits of Fresno, today.
By 1931, California had 57,278 acres of figs, with virtually all of it located in the central San Joaquin Valley.

Interesting Fig Facts

B.C.

The fig tree was held sacred in all countries of Southwestern Asia, and in Egypt, Greece, and Italy.
The fig is the most talked about fruit in the Bible and figs were mentioned in a Babylonian hymnbook about 2000 B.C.
It is definite that a fig tree provided the first clothing as noted in the Bible, “...the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons”, but there is room for speculation that the forbidden fruit might have been a fig, not an apple.

Greece

As a token of honor, figs were used as a training food by the early Olympic athletes, and figs were also presented as laurels to the winners as the first Olympic medals.
In ancient Greece men wore black figs around their necks while women wore white figs during a ceremony of purification.
Legend has it that the Greek goddess Demeter first revealed to mortals the fruit of autumn, which they called the fig.
The ancient city of Attica was famous for its figs and they soon became a necessity for its citizens, rich or poor. Solon, the ruler of Attica (639-559 BC), actually made it illegal to export figs out of Greece, reserving them solely for his citizens.
Figs were regarded with such esteem that laws were created forbidding the export of the best quality figs. Sycophant then derives from the Greek word meaning one who informs against another for exporting figs or for stealing the fruit of the sacred fig trees. Hence, the word came to mean a person who tries to win favor with flattery.
Every inhabitant of Athens, including Plato, was a philosykos, literally translated a friend of the fig. Mithridates, the Greek King of Pontus, heralded figs as an antidote for all ailments, instructing his physicians to use them medicinally and ordering his citizens to consume figs daily.

The Romans

Figs were respected in ancient Rome and considered sacred while according to myth the twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, rested under a fig tree.
The Romans regarded Bacchus as the god who introduced the fig to mankind. This made the tree sacred, and all images of the god were often crowned with fig leaves. The first figs of the season were offered to Bacchus, and at festivals in his honor, devout females wore garlands of dried figs.
Pliny, the Roman writer (52-113 AD) said, “Figs are restorative. They increase the strength of young people, preserve the elderly in better health and make them look younger with fewer wrinkles.”

Middle East and Asia

The Persian King Xerxes, after his defeat by the Greeks at Salamis in 480 B.C., had figs from Attica served him at every meal to remind him that he did not possess the land where this fruit grew.
It is said that the prophet Mohammed once exclaimed: “If I should wish a fruit brought to Paradise it would certainly be the fig.”
Figs are mentioned in Homer’s Iliad, as well as the Odyssey; by Aristophanes, Herodotus and Cato; and the fig is reported to have been the favorite fruit of Cleopatra, with the asp that ended her life being brought to her in a basket of figs.

Europe and Elsewhere

In 812 AD, Charlemagne attempted to introduce the fig to the Netherlands, but was unsuccessful because the fruit could not adapt to the cold weather.
Captain Bligh is credited with planting the first fig tree in Tasmania in 1792.

In California

The story of figs in California is relatively short in comparison the history of figs throughout the world. Figs were probably one of the first fruits to be dried and stored by man.
California Dried Fig production has averaged 28 million pounds over the last five years. All dried figs harvested in the United States are grown in California's Central Valley.

More About Figs

The fig tree is the symbol of abundance, fertility, and sweetness.
Figs made their first commercial product appearance in the 1892 introduction of Fig Newtons® Cookies. (See http://www.nabiscoworld.com/newtons/.)
For many years the fig has been used as a coffee substitute. The fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme that is considered an aid to digestion and is used by the pharmaceutical industry.
And, because of its high alkalinity it has been mentioned as being beneficial to persons wishing to quit smoking.
Figs contain a natural humectant -- a chemical that will extend freshness and moistness in baked products.
A chemical found in figs, Psoralen, has been used for thousands of years to treat skin pigmentation diseases. Psoralen, which occurs naturally in figs, some other plants and fungi, is a skin sensitizer that promotes tanning in the sun.
Figs provide more fiber than any other common fruit or vegetable. The fiber in figs is both soluble and insoluble. Both types of fiber are important for good health.
Figs have nutrients especially important for today's busy lifestyles. One quarter-cup serving of dried figs provides 5 grams of fiber -- 20% of the recommended Daily Value. That serving also adds 6% of iron, 6% of calcium, and 7% of the Daily Value for potassium. And, they have no fat, no sodium, and no cholesterol. Recent research has shown that California Figs also have a high quantity of polyphenol antioxidants.
Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower that is inverted into itself. The seeds are drupes or the real fruit.
California figs are the only fruit to fully ripen to complete sweetness and semi-dry right on the tree before falling to the ground to continue drying.
After harvest, the figs are inspected and packaged. Packaging includes rings of figs tightly packed and over-wrapped, moisture-proof bags, wrapped finger packs, plastic cups or bulk. California figs are generally found in the produce or baking section of your favorite supermarket.
Figs are harvested in the late summer and early fall, but because they are dried and conveniently packaged, they are available all year long. They are popular additions to a wide assortment of baked goods, and also a part of traditional American and Jewish holiday feasts such as Succoth, Hanukkah and Passover.