Levantine Sugar Industry in the Later Middle Ages—An Example of Technological Decline

Abstract

The decline of the Near Eastern sugar industry at the end of the Middle Ages is well known, but the explanations that have been given of this phenomenon are hardly satisfactory. On the other hand, an attempt to find a new analysis is a promising inquiry for several reasons. A correct interpretation of this case of industrial decline might enable us to elucidate similar phenomena. Further, in various sources there is relatively rich information on the development of the Levantine sugar industry. The works of chroniclers, geographers and other Arabic writers contain plenty of records on sugar production. They are supplemented by numerous data in the Italian Merchants’ Guides and in mostly unpublished documents in Italian archives. 1 The confrontation of all these source materials makes it possible to shed light on the interdependence of industrial structures and technological decline, a major problem of the economic history of the Near East in the waning Middle Ages. Perhaps comparison with the data concerning other Near Eastern industries will point to a pattern of technological and industrial decline.

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