Today, we say grace before a meal in thanksgiving for an abundance of food, but in ancient times, food spoiled quickly, often causing illness or even death.
Nomadic tribes experimenting with unfamiliar plants were very often poisoned.
Before a meal, these people made a plea to the gods to deliver them from poisoning.
But it wasn’t until after the meal, if everyone was still standing, that they offered a prayer of thanksgiving, or “grace.”
