Early humans must have viewed its discovery as a miracle; it never spoiled, was intensely sweet and was nearly immune to the growth of microorganisms, meaning it could be preserved and traveled with. Honey excavation by humans was first recorded about 10,000 years ago during the Paleolithic era. A famed cave painting in Valencia, Spain depicts two men climbing a ladder or series of knotted ropes up a tree with a baskets made of gourds to hold and collect honey combs. .
The Beginnings of Beekeeping.
When the Sun weeps a second time, and lets fall water from his eyes, it is changed into working bees; they work in the flowers of each kind, and honey and wax are produced instead of water.
(pSalt 825, first millennium BCE)2.
It was the Ancient Egyptians who "gave the world Beekeeping and made honey a commodity. Ancient Egyptians made the earliest recordings of beekeeping in 3000 BCE, using honey for religious rites, feeding sacred animals, and even preserving corpses. One of the Pharaoh's earliest titles was Bee King and the Gods were often associated with the bee. Osiris' sanctuary was referred to as Mansion of the Bee. Egyptians transported honeybee hives up and down the Nile on barges, keeping their bees close to floral sources. They would keep bees in cylindrical pots crafted out of dung, which were formed in rows up and down the banks of the river. On average, about 500 hives were kept at once. By putting wall apiaries with the hives on the outside left empty in rotations provided insulation against heat. The bees were encouraged to build combs horizontally, which made combs smaller, but more numerous. This also made the advent of bee larvae being kept in the same comb less likely, making collection easier. As different flowers blossomed, the beekeepers would move the bees to follow the patterns of the flora 3. .
Temples also kept bees to appease the gods and keep a source of honey available for medicines, but it was really a food associated with wealth and prosperity for the Egyptians.
