Seaweed

people's regular diet that legislation was introduced giving people the right to pay their taxes to the Emperor in the form of seaweed. The oldest evidence of seaweed use was found in South America, dating from 12,500 years ago. The remains of red seaweed mixed with a medicinal herb were discovered on the floor of a medicine hut at Monte Verde, Chile, one of the oldest human habitation sites in the Americas. The Monte Verde findings led to a re-evaluation of the importance of plants to the communities of that region. It was previously believed that their diet was predominantly meat-based, and therefore reliant on the hunting skills of men. However, these findings suggest that women, known to be responsible for the gathering of plants such as seaweed, also played an important part in the provision of food. The first recorded commercial use of seaweed in Europe was in the 17th century in France and Norway. Coastal populations, mainly farmers, gathered and burnt seaweed to produce potash, a substance which is used in the production of glass and soap. In 1800, Norway exported 1500 tonnes of potash.