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.
Did you know that in 1922 the famed “boy
king’s” tomb was opened in Egypt. The tomb of Tutankhamen (King Tut,) when
opened it contained alabaster jars filled with 350 liters of oils. The jars were sealed by the plant waxes to
preserve the oils over the centuries.
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.
Additional Historical Finding:
- 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
© 2008 by Ancient Oils
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