THE FASCINATING HISTORY OF ESSENTIAL OILS Essential Oils in Ancient Egypt According to translations of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs and Chinese manuscripts, essential oils have been used since thousands of years before the time of Christ. Experts believe that these oils were the first form of medicine, used even before herbs. Records dating back to 4500 B.C. describe the use of the oils to heal the sick and prevent disease as well as in religious rituals. Hundreds of references to these oils have also been found in the Bible. Egyptians are believed to have been the first to discover the many therapeutic uses for essential oils. They created fragrances that were used for personal as well as ritualistic and ceremonial purposes. Egyptian priests are said to have used the fragrances to open the subconscious mind and allow communication with the spirit world. In 1817 the Ebers Papyrus was discovered. This 870 foot-long medical scroll dated back to 1500 B.C. and referenced over 800 herbal remedies. Many of these remedies included honey and myrrh oil, an effective mixture in regenerating skin tissue as well as preventing bacterial growth and infections. When King Tutankhamen’s tomb was opened in 1922, archeologists found fifty alabaster jars designed contain 350 liters of liquid. These jars had been emptied by tomb robbers but residues of the precious oils they used to contain were found in the jars, an indication of the incredible value that these oils had in Ancient Egypt. Fumigation was commonly practiced by both Egyptians and Romans in their homes and temples. Fumigation released oils into the air to purify it and drive away evil spirits. Romans also used oils in their baths and followed these baths with massages also using essential oils. Essential Oils and the Ancient Greeks The Ancient Greeks used essential oils in much the same ways as Egyptians, in medicine, ritual, and cosmetics. Hypocrates studied the benefits of hundreds of herbs and concluded that surgery should be avoided as much as possible and that good health could be maintained with frequent aromatic baths and oil massages. Around 150 A.D. the Greek physician Claudius Galen treated wounded gladiators with botanical remedies and soon after became Emperor Marcus Aurelius’ personal physician. Essential Oils and the Arabians Arabians were the first to study the chemical properties of essential oils. They refined the distillation process and produced the especially valuable rose oil in large quantities. This oil could be traded for land, slaves, and even gold. Frankincense, rose, and myrrh oils were considered the most valuable and in 1000 B.C. empires all over the world fought for control of the Frankincense Trail. Caravans of thousands of camels traveled along this 2,400-mile long trail to carry the precious frankincense from southern Arabia to Israel. Essential Oils in the Middle and Dark Ages Europeans did not begin to use essential oils until the 12th Century when Crusaders returned from the Middle East and brought with them knowledge of herbal and oil remedies. Over the years apothecaries began to carry herbs and essential oils and the essential oil industry also flourished by selling oils as fragrance and flavoring. The German mystic Hildegard of Bingen used oils and herbs in much of her healing and Hildegard’s book Physica extensively discusses plants and their uses in healing. During the plague in France a band of thieves robbed people who were dead or dying of plague without being infected. When these thieves were finally arrested they were offered more lenient sentences to reveal how they avoided infection. In fact these thieves were spice traders who confessed to using a special mixture of rosemary, cinnamon and clove mixture to rub on their hands, ears, and heads. This mixture prevented transmission of the disease while in close contact with those infected and the formula for it was made public. During the Dark Ages most of the knowledge of essential oils and their uses was lost but with the expansion of the cosmetic and perfume industries in the 20th century, aromatherapy and the use of oils in daily life has begun to reappear. For more information, see our resource for this article: An Introduction to Young Living Essential Oils by Dr. Gary Young, N.D. younglivingaspirations/Articles/oils-history.html
Posted on: Sun, 08 Sep 2013 19:11:53 +0000
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