The History Of Aromatherapy

Lorna Findlay


The roots and fundamentals of Aromatherapy can be traced back to nearly 3000 years before Christ, when the ancient Egyptians used the basics of
Aromatherapy in their daily lives. Historical records show that Egyptians
burned incense made from aromatic woods and other herbs to honor their gods.
Also royal harems and guest houses used many aromatic oils very profusely to
satisfy many important guests. Aromatherapy has its roots in the most
ancient healing and therapeutic practices. Medicinal plants are used to cure
many ailments and used in many sacred rituals to evoke different states of
consciousness.

Elaborate religious ceremonies were performed in Egyptian temples, where the dead King was mummified and surrounded with exotic essential oils. Egyptians
believed very firmly that essential oils have an unusual preserving property
when added with other spices. Embalming was one of the principal uses of
aromatherapy, preserving the tissue of the bodies for thousands of years.
The oils and resins used were so potent, that in the 17th century mummies
were sold in Europe and doctors distilled them for use in their medicines.
Aromatherapy truly emerged from the smoky temples of Egypt 6,000 years ago.

Egypt was the birthplace of medicine, pharmaceutics, cosmetics and
perfumery. Trading was flourishing and traders arrived for trade from all
over the world by land and sea to deliver flowers, herbs and plants.
Priestesses and priests strictly supervised the delicate preparations in the
temples and palaces, reading formulas & chanting incantations and hymns, as
substances were measured & combined with ultimate precision. Purification
processes went on for months until the right, perfect subtle blend was
achieved.

The use of aromatherapy spread from Egypt to Israel, China, India and the
Mediterranean. Every culture, from the most backward to the most modern,
developed own set of practices. Greek physicians and military surgeons were
employed by the Romans every where in the empire. After the fall of the
Roman Empire, the science spread to the Arab countries, where medicine men devoted them to the ancient art of alchemy, perfecting the art of
distillation and extraction.

For many centuries essential oils were the only remedies for epidemic
diseases and conditions. During the dreaded Black Plague, very few became
ill, who in fact were associated with perfumeries and glove industries where
these oils were in profuse use. During the 19th century, with the
development of modern science, all forms of herbal medicine disappeared
until the 1920s, when French chemist Gatefosse revived the art, giving it
the name Aromatherapy. India was one of the few countries where the
tradition was never lost, Avurveda being the most ancient medical practice
in the world today. Aromatherapy is now used in hospitals, offices, clinics
and homes all over the world.

Aromatherapy acts as a bridge between the new and old; most of the
industries use these oils for various blends and concoctions, which provide
cure and relief for a number of complications.

Find more great aromatherapy information at
http://www.essentialaromatherapy.co.uk

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