The History of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy

The history of Aromatherapy and medicinal uses of plants dates back thousands of years in many cultures and eventually became the basis for modern ways to use the flowers, roots, plants, bark, seed and leaves of various aromatic plants.  

History tells us that 5,000 years B.C.E., Traditional Chinese Medicine developed skills and knowledge for growing and the use of specific plants for health and medicine, beauty and fragrance in teas, infused oils and incense. However, until the actual essence of the plants could be distilled true essential oils were unknown. Herbs, leaves and flowers were cut or pounded to release the vital essesences and then infused in oils and waxes to be used for various medicinal, health, beauty and cosmetic purposes.

The Ancient Egyptians seemed to have invented primitive distilleries to extract the power of essential oils for their sacred rituals. Archaeologists found their temple records and evidence of the use of the oils of cedar, myrrh, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices. The Egyptians grew many healing plants and also used infusions and wax essences in their culture for both medicine and beauty.

Those ofwealth and power could afford to purchase the sacred, exotic and medicinal plants, remedies, potions, perfumes and healing oils brought to various ports and markets.

Ayurvedic Medicine from India was based on their long history and advanced understanding of the medicinal properties of plants, herbs, flowers oils, incense and resins and teas. These were used extensively in their Temples, ceremonies, medical clinics and households. With the increase in trade along The Silk Road new knowledge, spices, and essences were brought into the Mediterranean area from the surrounding Middle East, India, Persia, Africa and Turkey.

Later, as the Greeks became the dominant rulers of the Western world, the spice trade expanded along with their various land and political conquests. Traders, merchants, physicians, herbalists, travelers and slaves brought new spices, flowers, plants, oils, perfumes and aromatics for medicine, health remedies, beauty and cosmetics as well as cooking and food preservation.

The Olympic Games became the high achievement of Greek culture who demonstrated the grace, athletic power and beauty of the healthy human body. Their health habits included using many oils and aromatics along with daily baths and massage. 

Hippocrates, 'The father of Medicine' promoted daily baths and massage with aromatic oils and perfumes for health as well as various ailments. The Greek physicians, sages and healers burned aromatic plants and spices to help purify the air in their coliseums, homes, clinics and public spaces.

The Ancient Romans studied and learned from the knowledge of the Egyptians, Greeks, Persians and other cultures. As the Romans expanded and conquered the known Western world, brought back medicinal plants and planted extensive herb gardens, medicine became a high art. The famous Roman Physician, Discorides catalogued information for more than 500 medicinal plants. The herbalist,  Galen studied and wrote an extensive herbal medical reference which became the standard in Europe for over 1,000 years. Roman culture used hundreds of herbs, spices, flowers, aromatics plants and perfumes in many ways - using them to fragrance their bodies and hair as well as in the palaces and homes and baths. Roman architects built water systems for their cities and designed the famous Roman Baths where people could come for restoration, health, healing and treatment of common ailments. 

Frankincense, Sandalwood, Aloes wood, Myrrh and other plant medicinals were mentioned in the Christian Bible as well as other Eastern sacred and medicinal texts from China, India and Persia. The Bible lists over 200 references to the use of essential oils for aromatics, incense and ointments. In both the Old and New Testament aromatics and ointments were often used for healing, for anointing the sick, used medicinally for incense in cases of illness, and even burned to purify the air against plague (Numbers Frankincense, Sandalwood, Aloes wood, Myrrh and other plant  

16:46-50). Fragrant oils and spices like hyssop, spikenard, rosemary, cassia, calamus, olive, galabanum and cinnamon were highly regarded, very expensive and used in the temples for purification as well as medicine, and used by Queens as perfume and in cosmetics. The New Testament tells the story of how the three wise men traveled East by the Star, and brought gold, frankincense and myrrh to the Baby Jesus. In John 12:3 Mary Magdalene anoints the feet of Jesus: “Then took Mary, a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus…” - From The Essential Oils Desk Reference, 3^rd Edition, p. 5

In Persia as the art of distillation developed, the Arab physicians were able to distill true essential oils from flowers and plants and study their properties. Distillation became an important industry across small villages. They created many therapeutic medicinal essences and essential oils for healing as well as exotic floral waters. The power and the therapeutic benefits of various essential oils was studied and this created a new and exciting science which furthered herbal medicine in all its forms. The increase in knowledge about medicinal plants and their essences went hand-in-hand with the spread of various diseases from the mingling of so many cultures across the trade routes.

As the Roman Empire declined, the Roman Catholic Church rose to power in Europe. Popes were elected, edicts issued, trade routes restricted, 'pagan' cultures persecuted and Europe fell into the Dark Ages. Under the watchful eye of the Church, earlier knowledge was forbidden and healing information was hidden, lost or condemned. 

The Dark Ages brought big changes in daily living. The beauty and attributes of the physical body, so elevated by the Roman and Greek Cultures and the Olympic Games was now condemned by the Church. Daily bathing was forbidden along with massage and other therapies and health habits of the Greeks and Romans.

Medieval European cities lacked the sanitation and water systems of the Romans and soon became cesspools of filth, stench and disease. Living conditions were deplorable. Aromatic herbs were strewn throughout castles, monasteries and homes, incense was burned in Churches, and infused candles were burned to combat the stench and help disinfect the air.

Medicine became the domain of the Church and the monasteries of Europe were the centers of knowledge. Their influence, writings, studies and knowledge lasted for over 1,000 years. The monks planted gardens for food and medicine, studied local herbs, and ministered to the sick and dying with their potions, medicinal teas, spices, essential oils, infused beers, wines, essences and herbal tinctures. Their study became focused on the many herbs and plants that could grow in the Northern climates - the mints, rosemary, chamomile, roses, lavender, parsley, angelicas and dozens more.

Centuries later, during the Holy Crusades, European monks and physicians travelled to Spain and the Universities where they learned chemistry, distillation and advanced medicine from the Moors and Arab physicians. They brought back new remedies, oils and essences as well as the knowledge to create them. The art and science of distillation, chemistry and medicinal uses of essential oils distilled from plants and herbs became a thriving and growing industry in Germany and other European countries.

Even with these advances in science, general living conditions were still terrible. Most people, even the wealthy seldom bathed or washed their hair. Hand washing was not practiced, even by doctors and toilets and sanitation were non-existent. The streets were open sewers and the condition of European cities was deplorable ---which became the perfect setting for the great plague. During the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries several waves of the much-feared 'Black Death' swept across Europe killing millions, up to 50% of the population. This was several hundred years before the microscope and the understanding of germs and bacteria. Although the concept of germs was unknown, the common belief was that disease was transmitted by something in the air. Herbs and spices were burned as incense in churches, monasteries, homes and on the streets to ward off the 'evil humors' of disease. Almost everyone carried and wore sachets and amulets of dried herbs and potions for protection. The monks, apothecaries, healers, wise women and physicians who used their oils, spices and herbs on themselves and the sick seemed to avoid illness.This realization led to the serious study of the properties of healing plants and essential oils as protection against diseases.

The Renaissance in Europe which spanned the 14-17th centuries brought new knowledge, discoveries and inventions in science, medicine, the arts and music. Many new ideas swept Europe as sailors and explorers travelled to distant lands and brought back cultural information, stories, dozens of plants, herbs, remedies, recipes and foods from other lands.

The squalid living conditions in the cities of Europe was improving at least for the wealthy and growing merchant class, and the worst pandemics of the Black Death were over. Medical studies of hundreds of plants and herbs had been conducted and recorded for centuries. Infusions, extracted and distilled oils from plants, flowers, herbs and spices were the most powerful medicines of the time. New information and plant remedies became available with the increase in the spice trade from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The use of essential oils for medicine, health and beauty was widespread throughout Europe.

During the 1700s, the distillations of flowers and spices for perfume was all the rage in the courts of Kings and Royalty across Europe, and especially in the courts of France. 'Eau de Cologne' a perfume blend of 70-90% ethanol, plus the essential oils of lemon, orange, jasmine, rosemary, lavender and other floral essential oils were created in 1709 in Cologne, Germany by a famous Italian perfumer. These recipes, formulas and distillation of essential oils and essences blended into colognes and perfumes became a high art and science. Secret recopies for Queens and Princesses were worth fortunes and were well-guarded. Despite their glittering opulence, fancy dress and powdered wigs, people seldom bathed and so used various colognes, perfumes and oils daily to mask personal body odor.

By the late 1700's the Industrial Revolution fueled by science, machinery and inventions was changing the face of Europe and the Western World. There were advances in chemistry, medicine, surgery, dentistry, and the other sciences. By the 1800s, hundreds of plant essences, infusions and distilled essential oils were used and traded world wide in many forms for health, healing, medicine, beauty and cosmetics.

In the late 19th Century the Industrialized Nations were eager to embrace the new and growing sciences of chemistry, microbiology and pharmacology. There was increased demand for modern manufactured medicines. Although the majority of medicines were still derived from plants, the development of modern pharmaceuticals started the shift toward allopathic medicine and standard manufactured remedies. The major focus was on the physical body and relieving symptoms. For the next 100 years  plant medicines, essential oils and aromatherapy became less popular for medicinal uses, but were still widely used in the cosmetic, beauty and food industries.

The healing properties of essential oils came back into recognition later in the 20th Century after publication of serious research of its medical uses in France. Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, a French perfume chemist is known as the 'Father of Aromatherapy'.  In the 1920's he studied and used essential oils and plant essences to create perfumes. As the story goes, one day when he suffered a severe burn during an explosion in his laboratory, he plunged his hand into a container of pure distilled Lavender Essential oil. When his burn healed quickly with little pain and no scarring, he devoted the remainder of his life to serious study of the chemistry and healing properties of lavender and other essential oils. He used essential oils to treat the infections, gangrene and wounds of soldiers in military hospitals and recorded his research on the healing and antibacterial properties of the oils.His book 'Gattefosse's Aromatherapie' was published in 1937 and is still in print.

A French doctor, Jean Valnet took interest and conducted his own research using essential oils of chamomile, clove, lemon and thyme for the treatment of various medical and psychiatric conditions in military hospitals in Europe during World War II.Dr. Valnet published `The Practice of Aromatherapy' in 1964. The Austrian biochemist, Madame Marguerite Maury studied the health and healing properties of essential oils. She researched how the molecules of essential oils could penetrate the skin in healing massage and the many positive effects on the body and mind. Her book was published in France in 1961 and it was later translated and published in Britain in 1964 under the title of 'The Secret of Life and Youth' . Following her death, researchers and authors in Europe continued to study these and earlier works. Robert Tisserand's book, 'The Art of Aromatherapy' became the standard aromatherapy enclycopedia and reference for decades.

After publication of these works there was a renewed interest in the scientific and medical uses of essential oils, known as medical aromatherapy.Today, in France aromatherapy is recognized as a valid medical therapy. Prescriptions for essential oils can be prescribed by doctors, filled in a pharmacy and paid for by medical insurance. This has led to greater acceptance and recognition of the power of medical aromatherapy in Britain and the United States over the past few years.Modern science has validated the many beneficial properties of essential oils for health and healing.

Clinical studies have proven the effectiveness of various essential oils against bacteria, viruses and fungus. Serious studies are underway for using essential oils like oregano, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus and others against staph bacteria (MRSA) that have become resistant to antibiotics. This is a serious concern in hospitals and clinics throughout the world.

Essential oils can have over 300 individual natural chemical constituents per bottle.  Much scientific research is currently in process around the globe on this important factor. As organic living substances, every distillation, every bottle is slightly different depending on how and where it was grown, the soil, sunlight, elevation, etc.. as well as how and where it was harvested and distilled. Because each bottle is unique, bacteria, viruses and fungi cannot develop resistance to them like they can to a manufactured drug that is always the same.

Today, the science and use of essential oils and aromatherapy is still primarily used in the spa, health, perfume and beauty industry to alleviate stress and promote harmony and tranquility in body and mind. Aromatherapy is used by many alternative health practitioners, massage therapists, bodyworkers and energy healers. 

It's easy and fun to discover the power and benefits of essential oils for yourself. There are many good books and quality essential oils now widely available from natural shops, stores and the Internet. You can treat yourself at home by using prepared aromatherapy products or have fun creating your own products for health, healing and home.

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