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People have used calamus root, or acorus calamus’s rhizome (the thick root underground) for a very, very long time. It has been used as a medicine, perfume, flavouring, incense, and even in spiritual rituals

Acorus calamus is native to central and eastern Eurasia, including areas near modern Kazakhstan, Siberia, China, the Himalayas, and India

The first solid records of human use go back ~3000 BC (about 5,000 years ago), when calamus was a traded aromatic and medicinal plant between India and Assyria (ancient Mesopotamia).

It was not domesticated like grain crops, but instead spread alongside cultural use.

Check out a grass-like plant that grows by water, calamus root, or acorus calamus. With some more neolithic architecture today.

Bibliography: African Plant Database, Acorus calamus; Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & South African National Biodiversity Institute; last modified 2007-02-14; http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/ africa/details.php?langue=an&id=30524

Manniche, Lisa; An Ancient Egyptian Herbal, Pg. 74; American University in Cairo Press; Cairo; 2006; ISBN 977 416 034 7

The History of the Oldest Traditional Medicinal Plant… (Acorus calamus) — origin, trade, traditional use history. traditionalmedicines.org