The sweet, juicy watermelon is a staple of summer picnics, but its modern form is the result of a long history of cultivation. The familiar fruit with its bright red flesh bears little resemblance to its ancient ancestor. The watermelon’s origins reveal a transformation from a wild, bitter fruit valued for its water content to the sweet treat enjoyed today.
Origins and Appearance of Ancient Watermelons
The watermelon’s story begins in Africa, with archaeological evidence suggesting its origins in the continent’s southern regions. These ancestral melons were small and round with a tough rind. Inside, the flesh was pale, often a white or greenish color, and had a hard texture.
Instead of being a sweet delicacy, the flesh of these wild watermelons was intensely bitter. This bitterness was due to the presence of compounds called cucurbitacins, which are common in the gourd family. Given their unpalatable taste, early humans likely did not consume these fruits for their flavor.
The primary value of ancient watermelons was as a source of hydration, making them a practical resource in arid environments like the Kalahari Desert. While the flesh was bitter, the seeds were edible and could be roasted for nourishment.
The Domestication Journey
The watermelon’s domestication began in ancient Egypt over 4,000 years ago. Egyptian tomb paintings depict oblong watermelons, a departure from the round shape of their wild ancestors, indicating early plant breeding was underway. These cultivated watermelons were placed in the tombs of pharaohs to provide nourishment in the afterlife.
From Egypt, the watermelon’s journey continued, spreading to countries around the Mediterranean through merchant ships. By the Roman era, the fruit was known for its cooling properties and was used for medicinal purposes. Writings from this period and the Middle East later began to describe the watermelon as a sweet fruit, suggesting farmers were actively selecting for sweeter varieties.
A 17th-century painting by Giovanni Stanchi provides a visual record of the watermelon’s evolution. The painting depicts a watermelon with a pale, whitish-pink flesh and large, swirling seed pockets, a stark contrast to modern varieties. This artwork illustrates that selective breeding favored fruits with more red flesh and higher sugar content, which increased the levels of lycopene, the compound responsible for the red color.
Modern Wild Relatives
Wild relatives of the watermelon exist today, offering a glimpse into the fruit’s past. The citron melon, or tsamma melon, is one such relative that grows in Africa’s arid regions and is naturalized elsewhere. While not a direct ancestor, it retains many wild characteristics of early watermelons.
The citron melon has a very hard, white flesh that is not typically eaten raw due to its bland or sometimes bitter taste. Its appearance is similar to a small, round watermelon. Unlike its ancient relatives, the citron melon has found different uses in modern times.
Due to its high pectin content, the citron melon is used to make pickles, jams, and other preserves. Its durable nature also makes it useful as animal feed. In agriculture, the citron melon’s hardy rootstock is sometimes used for grafting commercial watermelon varieties, providing them with greater disease resistance.