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Aromatherapy Brief History
from: Brad J. TamitnowsonAromatherapy History
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 rich and 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.
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