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The practice of using essential oils is commonly referred to as aromatherapy, and is used for physical and psychological well-being. In ancient times, sweet smelling oils were more respected for both medicinal and their healing properties than scent. Essential Oils are often referred to as "Mankind's First Medicine".
The use of ancient oils dates by as far as 5000 B.C.. Ancient oils were used for the treating body, mind and spiritual through out the ages. So, what did the ancients know that we in our modern society do not?
They knew the earth supported all of their needs by means of plant life. They also knew that the secretion of the plants when harvested and distilled produced potent remedies of life changing aromas. Today these ancient oils are known as Essential Oils.
Although tomb robbers had stolen nearly all the precious oils, some of the jars still contained traces of oil. It is said that the first thing the thieves would gather were the essential oils stored in alabaster pots within the tombs. Due to the Healing properties of the Essential oils, they were considered extremely valuable healing tools.
- In Egypt 5000 B.C., Egyptians used animal fat heated by the sun to extract oils from plants.
- In Pakistan 4000 B.C, Pakistanis develop refining and distilling progress that allowed essential oils to be extracted at night and yielding larger volume of oils.
- In China 3000 B.C., Chinese manuscripts recorded over 300 herbs and their medicinal applications.
- The ancient Egyptians, however, were the first to use oils as prescriptions and remedies. In 1817, an 870 foot long papyrus (paper-like material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant,), was discovered dating back to 1500 BC. Once researched, the papyrus revealed over 800 remedies, using essences such as myrrh and frankincense