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Historical records

Literary evidence from the Ramayana and Sri Lankan chronicles indicates that the coconut was present in the Indian subcontinent before the 1st century BCE. The earliest direct description is given by Cosmas Indicopleustes in his Topographia Christiana written around 545, referred to as "the great nut of India". Another early mention of the coconut dates back to the " One Thousand and One Nights " story of Sinbad the Sailor wherein he bought and sold a coconut during his fifth voyage.

In March 1521, a description of the coconut was given by Antonio Pigafetta writing in Italian and using the words " cocho "/" cochi ", as recorded in his journal after the first European crossing of the Pacific Ocean during the Magellan circumnavigation and meeting the inhabitants of what would become known as Guam and the Philippines. He explained how at Guam "they eat coconuts" (" mangiano cochi ") and that the natives there also "anoint the body and the hair with coconut and beniseed oil" (" ongieno el corpo et li capili co oleo de cocho et de giongioli ").