| It is thought that the Chinese were the first | | | | of essential oils. This created a sound basis of |
| civilization to use aromatic plants for health related | | | | knowledge regarding the use of essential oils for |
| reasons, such as burning incense for harmony. | | | | the Black Death of the fourteenth century, which |
| However it was the Egyptians who invented the | | | | killed 80 million people across Europe. |
| first distillation techniques, thus allowing the | | | | Aromatherapy was used to allieve the situation. |
| extraction of essential oils. Their distillation | | | | Aromatic herbs and scented candles were burned |
| methods were crude, but allowed them to use | | | | to combat the stench and help disinfect the air. It |
| the oils of cedarwood, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg | | | | is thought that some perfumers avoided the |
| and myrrh to embalm their dead. Tombs opened | | | | plague due to their constant contact with the |
| by archaeologists in the early twentieth century | | | | natural aromatics. |
| revealed traces of herbs and a faint herbal scent. | | | | Aromatic herbs were similarly used during the |
| The Egyptians also used essential oils and infused | | | | Bubonic Plague in the sixteenth century when |
| oils for spiritual, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. | | | | doctors wore big hats with huge beaks filled with |
| They started creating aromatic infusions over | | | | aromatic herbs to disinfect the air. At this stage a |
| 5,000 years ago. Many believe they developed | | | | concrete link between aromatics and health was |
| the term perfume, originating from the Latin 'per | | | | established, as perfumed air was recognized as |
| fumum', meaning through the smoke. Perfumery | | | | antiseptic as well as pleasant. By 1700, essential |
| was closely linked to ancient Greek religion, and | | | | oils were used in mainstream medicine. However, |
| each deity was allotted a fragrance. | | | | the development of chemistry at this time |
| Aromatic scents were the focus of Greek | | | | weakened the use of essential oils for medicinal |
| aromatherapy, used medically, in food | | | | purposes. |
| preservation, cosmetics, cooking as well as religion. | | | | Popular Aromatherapy Uses |
| Aromatherapeutic ideas also played a part in the | | | | It wasn't until the beginning of the twentieth |
| design and layout of towns, with large spaces | | | | century that essential oils and aromatics regained |
| allocated to the burning of herbs to keep the air | | | | their popularity. A French chemist called Renee |
| germ free. | | | | Maurice Gattefosse studied essential oils for their |
| Ancient Egyptian rulers imported exotic scents | | | | aromatic use. However, his focus changed to their |
| from countries they had conquered as a symbol | | | | medicinal properties after an accident at work. He |
| of their power, both economically and politically. | | | | badly burnt his arm and in reflex plunged it into |
| The Greeks learnt a lot from the Egyptians. After | | | | the closest liquid which happened to be lavender |
| visiting the Nile Valley in 500 B.C. they set up a | | | | essential oil. His arm healed very quickly and did |
| medical school on the Island of Cos, of which the | | | | not scar, which prompted his study of the |
| most famous graduate was Hippocrates, 'the | | | | medicinal uses of essential oils. Gattefosse coined |
| father of medicine'. He recommended a daily bath | | | | the term 'aromatherapy' in 1928, and in 1937 he |
| and massage with essential oils for a healthy life. | | | | wrote a book called 'Gattefosse's Aromatherapy', |
| The Romans furthered the knowledge they | | | | which is still in print and widely read. |
| obtained from the Egyptians and Greeks. | | | | In the late 1950's Madam Marguerite Maury |
| Discordes wrote a treatus called De Materia | | | | studied how essential oils could be used to |
| Medica, which referenced more than 500 medicinal | | | | penetrate the skin for health and beauty reasons. |
| plants. Roman herbalist Galen was influenced by | | | | She developed massage methods that are still |
| this treatus and wrote what became the world's | | | | used by aromatherapists today. In her book 'The |
| medical reference for over 1,500 years. | | | | Secret of Life and Youth' she develops the |
| The Romans really took the use of aromatic | | | | concept of individual prescription, a blend specific |
| scents to a new level. Spice filled pipes perfumed | | | | to the individual patient. |
| Nero's guests in his palace, perfumed cups were | | | | Dr Jean Valnet, a French doctor who treated |
| very popular, and there were fragrant watering | | | | soldiers in World War Two with essential oils, |
| spots around the city. Aromatic perfumes | | | | documented the antimicrobial action of oils in his |
| remained popular when the focus of learning | | | | 1964 book 'The Practice of Aromatherapy'. As a |
| moved from Rome to Constantinople (now | | | | result of his work, France developed a successful |
| known as Istanbul). | | | | medical aromatherapy, in which essential oils are |
| The Arabs were the first to distil alcohol from | | | | used by the medical profession. |
| fermented sugar. This discovery created a | | | | For the majority of the past century, |
| solvent other than oils and waxes for infusions, | | | | aromatherapy has been restricted to the beauty |
| leading to popular luxuries such as floral waters. | | | | industry and largely unaccepted in the medical |
| With this distillation the scents and powerful | | | | profession. It is a combination of Maury's |
| therapeutic abilities of essential oils were brought | | | | development of the concept of individual |
| to light and explored. | | | | prescription and the success of medical |
| Distilling Essential Oils | | | | aromatherapy in France that has lead to a more |
| Distillation techniques were furthered in the | | | | medical approach and acceptance of |
| eleventh century by a Persian physician, Avicenna | | | | aromatherapy in Britain and the United States |
| who invented a coiled pipe allowing more efficient | | | | over the past few years. Aromatherapy has now |
| and effective cooling of plant vapour and steam. | | | | split into two key areas; beauty and medical, both |
| This more effective technique created more | | | | of which are equally important and are increasingly |
| focus on essential oils and their benefits. | | | | being recognized as areas and techniques which |
| In the thirteenth century the pharmaceutical | | | | complement each other. |
| industry commenced encouraging great distillation | | | | |