A photo from open sources
The authors of a new historical study believe that the Arabs Saudi Arabia ate lizards even after the advent of Islam, which forbids believers to eat reptiles. First archaeological evidence that confirms the presence of meat lizards in the medieval arabian diet, is a historical text that describes the taste of these scaly desert appetizers. Prohibited Products In Islam, as in Judaism has strict rules prohibiting eating of various kinds food. The banned group, along with other products, includes a place of snakes and lizards. However, based on some of the ancient documents, it suggests that some Arabs used meat of lizards, despite the strict limitations of their faith. Text, dated 11th century, written by a Persian traveler Nasir Khosroev says: “As soon as my fellow travelers saw the lizard, they grabbed it, killed it and ate it. “In addition, many records European travelers confirm Arab love for meat lizards. These notes describe what Arabs motivated killing lizards to make storage wallets out of their skin tobacco and oil. However, lizard meat was not thrown away, but eaten by locals. However, direct evidence eating forbidden product by Arabs in archaeological until now there were very few documents. Lizard in the role snacks Archaeologists excavating an oasis in a desert Saudi Arabia discovered huge layers of food waste, filled with bones of camels, goats and the remains of lizards of the species Uromastyx aegyptia. The spiky tail of these lizards could reach in length about 70 cm. The area of their permanent habitat is the desert of the near East. Lizard bones were found in layers that coincide in time period with the life of the Arabs in these places, and characteristic marks on the bones of lizards indicate that lizards died not as a result of natural death, but as a result human hunting. Desert peoples today, as well as and 2000 years ago, they enjoy eating lizard meat. TO For example, many nomadic tribes in Oman often hunt lizards, because they are easy to catch with a loop grip. In addition, nomads, like 2000 years ago, cut off their heads and legs of a lizard and cut out on her skin signs similar to those that discovered by archaeologists in the ancient layers of food waste. Of course, these facts and assumptions do not mean that the lizards were one from the main products of the ancient Arabian diet. Especially since it is necessary to separate the Bedouins who ate the meat of these animals during their travels in the desert, and lizards for them were the only storehouse of squirrel, from the ancient Arabs whose taste preferences are still very little studied.
