Great examples.
Surprised it overlooks salt, especially as it mentions "Spices were among the first engines of globalization". The salt mines in the Salzburg ("Salt Fortress" or "Salt Castle"!!) were operating 7000 years ago and have been a considerable source of the areas riches, starting with the Celtic population trading to Greeks and Romans.
Salt played a role in both the American and the French revolutions:
https://www.ncdcr.gov/blog/2013/04/24/salt-works-established...