The Influence of the Aramean Civilization on Arab Cuisine and Culture

Ancient civilizations have long intermingled in the Middle East, making the Aramean civilization an inseparable part of the cultural fabric of the Arab Levant. Over centuries of interaction and coexistence, the Arameans left a clear imprint on Arab culture in general, and on Arab cuisine in particular. The following highlights some of the most notable aspects of Aramean influence on Arab culture:

Food Vocabulary:
Many Aramaic words gradually entered the Arabic lexicon of foods and beverages. Arabic adopted the names of various dishes and ingredients from the Aramaic language as a result of historical contact between Arabs and Arameans. Linguistic studies indicate that many names of Levantine dishes and commonly used ingredients in the region originate from ancient Aramaic terms. This linguistic influence shows that Arabs adopted the terminology of earlier peoples when they became familiar with their foods and cooking techniques. As a result, some Aramaic names are still used today in spoken Arabic dialects to describe well-known dishes.

Language and Writing:
Aramean influence was not limited to vocabulary; it extended to writing systems and the transmission of knowledge. The Arabic alphabet is derived from the ancient Aramaic script through the Nabataean alphabet in the sixth century CE. Before Islam, Aramaic script was widely used in the region as a common written language, and early Arabs relied on it to write their language before the Arabic alphabet took its familiar form. For this reason, the Arameans are considered a crucial link in the transmission of Semitic written heritage, with their script contributing directly to the development of the Arabic alphabet used today.
In spoken language, Aramaic left a lasting mark on many aspects of everyday Arab culture. Levantine dialects (Syrian, Lebanese, and others) still preserve dozens of words of Aramaic origin used in daily speech, including terms for household items, greetings, plants, and foods. This linguistic blending reflects centuries of interaction between Arabs and Arameans, during which Arabs adopted Aramaic words and integrated them into their dialects. Even the common Arabic greeting “Marhaban” is believed to have Syriac (Aramaic) roots meaning joy or gladness, illustrating the depth of this linguistic exchange.

Customs and Traditions:
Social customs associated with Aramean culture also influenced Arab society, particularly in regions where Arameans and Arabs lived side by side. The Arameans were known for their emphasis on generosity and hospitality—values that later became deeply rooted in Arab culture. In addition, certain culinary traditions in the Levant may be extensions of ancient practices dating back to Aramean times. The Levant has seen many successive civilizations, each leaving its mark on culinary arts; dishes such as flatbread baked in taboon or tannour ovens and the use of local spices may have historical continuities reaching far into antiquity.
Although it is difficult to trace the precise origin of every dish or custom, the Aramean influence on Arab cuisine is evident in the foundational elements of Levantine cooking, which represents a continuation of a shared regional culinary heritage. Aramean recipes blended with those of neighboring peoples such as the Canaanites and Phoenicians, and these traditions were later absorbed into Islamic Arab cuisine following the Muslim conquest of the Levant. As a result, Arab cuisine inherited rich elements from Aramean civilization, including ingredient diversity and cooking methods such as oven baking and the use of bulgur and lentils in dishes like mujaddara.

Conclusion:
Cultural interaction between Arameans and Arabs played a significant role in shaping the cultural identity of the Arab Levant. Arabs adopted and further developed the writing system they inherited from the Arameans, borrowed vocabulary still in use today, and absorbed culinary traditions and social customs into daily life. This mutual influence enriched early Arab and Islamic civilization, which flourished while carrying within it a deep-rooted heritage inherited from earlier peoples of the region. The integration of Aramean cultural legacy into Arab life remains one of the key reasons for the richness and depth of Middle Eastern cultural identity to this day.