Palm Oil
Climbing a palm tree , 1747 drawing Courtesy of The New York Public Library
In the 1600, the Dutch explorer Pieter de Marees traveled through West Africa among the Yoruba of the ancient empire of Benin (in modern day Nigeria) and Kingdom of Kongo (in modern day Angola and the Congo or Central Republic of Africa. He noted need the multiple uses the palm tree. West and Central Africans harvested the fruit of the palm tree and used it to produce an oil cooks used as an ingredient in making sauces, a sort of condiment pouring it over fish. the thickest of the palm oil people used as a body lotion and for moisturizing and styling their hair.
