Tawahin es-Sukkar
Title: Tawahin es-Sukkar
Artist: Unknown
Date: Ca. 12th Century CE
Location: Jericho, Jordan Valley, Palestine
Tawahin es-Sukkar, directly translating to “sugar mill,” was one of the key sites for sugar production during the Ayyubid-Mamluk Period. Key remains of Tawahin es-Sukkar are its millhouse and stone press, its “House of Sugar” for peeling sugarcane, and a kitchen for sugar boiling that doubled as a mosque. The mill also housed Arabic-inscribed sugar pots, jars, and ceramics listing dates of processing and contents.
Sugar had previously been an element of luxury for Islamic elites as seen in accounts and recipes for the upper-class, but when the industry boomed and sugar was at the forefront of trading, it made its way into festivals and everyday households. Mills like Tawahin es-Sukkar in the fertile landscape of the Jordan Valley helped commercialize the production and selling of sugar, making it more accessible to communities where it revolutionized sweet culture and cuisine.