Archaeological remains of charred sesame dating to around 3500-3050 B.C. suggest that it was known on the Indian subcontinent at least 5500 years ago. Sesame trade between Mesopotamia and the Indian subcontinent is believed to have occurred in 2000 B.C. It is also thought that sesame was cultivated in Egypt during the Ptolemaic period. The Egyptians called it sesemt, and the name is found on a list of medicines in the scrolls of the Ebers Papyrus dating back more than 3,600 years.
Excavations of Tutankhamun's tomb uncovered baskets of sesame, among other tomb goods.
It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world. Sesame has many species, most of which are wild and native to sub-Saharan Africa. The most common cultivated variety is Indian sesame (Sesamum indicum).
