Za’atar is a culinary herb or often a spice mixture made up of toasted sesame seeds, ground dried thyme, oregano and marjoram, as well as salt and sumac. It is a spice traditionally used in Middle Eastern cuisine.
The history of za’atar goes back a long way, as the herb was known and used in ancient Egypt, with a form of the za’atar preparation process being found in Tutankhamun’s Tomb upon its discovery! There are also records of za’atar being used as a royal perfume by the Parthian Kings in the 1st century CE as a regal scent.
Interestingly, housewives throughout the Fertile Crescent, Iraq, and the Arabian Peninsula adapted their za’atar mixtures over time, some of which have kept their spice blends a top family secret for years and years.
Palestinian also have a familiar relationship with the za’atar plant due to its strong significance and representation of the houses, villages and region from which they hailed.