Aromatherapy History

Aromatherapy is derived from two words: Aroma -knowledge of perfumes to the gods. The Greeks
meaning fragrance or smell; and Therapy - meaningalso recognized the medicinal and aromatic benefits
treatment.of plants. Hippocrates, commonly called the "father of
The use of Aromatherapy can be traced back tomedicine" practiced fumigations for both aromatic and
nearly 3000 years before Christ. At that time themedicinal benefit. A Greek perfumer by the name of
ancient Egyptians used the basics of Aromatherapy inMegallus created a perfume called megaleion.
their daily lives. Historical records show that EgyptiansMegaleion included myrrh in a fatty-oil base and
burned incense made from aromatic woods andserved several purposes: (1) for its aroma, (2) for its
other herbs to honor their gods.anti-inflammatory properties towards the skin and (3)
Aromatherapy also was used for healing andto heal wounds.
therapeutic practices. Medicinal plants are used toThe Roman Empire built upon the knowledge of the
cure many ailments and used in many sacred ritualsEgyptians and Greeks. Discorides wrote a book called
to evoke different states of consciousness.De Materia Medica that described the properties of
Elaborate religious ceremonies were performed inapproximately 500 plants. It is also reported that
Egyptian temples, where the dead King wasDiscorides studied distillation. Distillation during this
mummified and surrounded with exotic essential oils.period, however, focused on extracting aromatic
Egyptians believed very firmly that essential oils havefloral waters and not essential oils.
an unusual preserving property when added withFor many centuries essential oils were the only
other spices.remedies for epidemic diseases and conditions. During
Embalming was one of the principal uses ofthe dreaded Black Plague, very few became ill, who
aromatherapy, preserving the tissue of the bodiesin fact were associated with perfumeries and glove
for thousands of years. The oils and resins usedindustries where these oils were in profuse use.
were so potent, that in the 17th century mummiesDuring the 19th century, with the development of
were sold in Europe and doctors distilled them formodern science, all forms of herbal medicine
use in their medicines.disappeared until the 1920s, when French chemist
Priestesses and priests strictly supervised the delicateGatefosse revived the art, giving it the name
preparations in the temples and palaces, readingAromatherapy. India was one of the few countries
formulas & chanting incantations and hymns, aswhere the tradition was never lost, Avurveda being
substances were measured & combined withthe most ancient medical practice in the world today.
ultimate precision. Purification processes went on forFrom the late 20th century and on into the 21st
months until the right, perfect subtle blend wascentury, there is a growing resurgence to utilize more
achieved. The use of aromatherapy spread fromnatural products including essential oils for therapeutic,
Egypt to Israel, China, India and the Mediterranean.cosmetic and aromatic benefit. The use of essential
Every culture, from the most backward to the mostoils never ceased, but the scientific revolution
modern, developed own set of practices.minimized the popularity and use of essential oils in
The Chinese may have been one of the first culturesone's everyday life. Today's heightened awareness
to use aromatic plants for well-being. Their practicesregarding the use of synthetics coupled with the
involved burning incense to help create harmony andincreased availability of aromatherapy information
balance.within books and the Internet has refueled the use
The Greeks learned a great deal from the Egyptians,of essential oils for therapeutic, cosmetic, fragrant
but Greek mythology apparently credits the gift andand spiritual use.