 The word 'perfume' is derived from the Latin perfumen, literally meaning 'through the smoke'.
And the ritual burning of aromatic plants, which has taken place for many thousands of years, still happens today.
Earliest man (and woman!), when burning twigs or leaves found that apart from obtaining the dual benefits of heat for body warmth and cooking, wood fragrances and resins emitted from the smoke.
Sometimes - but not always - this resulted in altered states of mind, such as excitement or happiness.
As a result, these 'magic' altered states of mind formed key parts of early religions. Frankincense, for example, one of the most ancient incense materials, is still burned during Mass in the Roman Catholic Church.
And, until relatively recently, the French nation burned sprigs of thyme and rosemary in hospital wards as a means of disinfectant.
It is unfortunate that the use of these herbs came to an end at about the same time as research actually proved their bactericidal effectiveness.
The use of aromatic plants has been in existence for thousands of years. In fact, this ancient scene (left) from the 15th Century shows slave girls wearing perfume cones on their heads. As the heat melted the cones, their hair and bodies gave off aromas from within the cones.
The ancient Egyptian civilisation became known as the true founder of aromatherapy.
 The formulae for the blends was carved into the stone walls of temples where priest healers concocted their prescriptions, and this has given tremendous insight into some of the most aromatic blends.
When Tut'ankhaman's tomb was opened in 1922, a pot of ointment was discovered that still held the fragrance of frankincense, and when a 3,000 year-old mummy was unwrapped, the fragrance of cedarwood and myrrh emanated from the bandages.
In fact, cedarwood became one of the most desired and expensive aromatics in the whole of the ancient world because of its wonderful properties for embalment, medication and perfume.
Survival of Egyptian mummies is not just due to the skill of the embalmer, but to the extraordinary preservative powers of plant essences.
 The aromas of pine, cedarwood, myrrh and cinnamon are known to retard putrefaction and decay, and during the thousands of years before refrigeration, people from as far afield as India and Europe were using oils to preserve meats to make them more digestible.
The use of herbs, spices and condiments, with their catalytic and antiseptic action upon meat, is still in use in modern times.
In medieval times apothecaries concocted a drug called 'Elixir of Mummie', prepared from the sticky aromatic exudate from embalment, which was said to be "most efficacious" for infectious illness.
The Egyptians prepared aromatic oils and incense by soaking plant materials in base oils and it is surprising that there is no conclusive evidence that their ancient civilisation used distillation... and so the question is still under debate.
Records from 3000 BC show that the Indian/Ayurvedic system of medicine was - and is still - in present day use.
A quotation from the Vedic Literature of India states: "Simples, you who have existed for so long, even before the Gods were born, I want to understand your 700 secrets! ......... Come, you wise plants, heal this patient for me."
Over 700 substances are recorded in the Vedic Literature of India, including cinnamon, ginger, myrrh, coriander and sandalwood. Aromatic massage is most certainly one of the most important features of Ayurvedic medicine.
 The Romans were the world's greatest bathers, loved cleanliness and appreciated the health-giving properties of naturally warm spa water. They also loved aromatherapy massage.
 Wealthy families would spend ages at baths being massaged by slaves who would knead and pummel their masters.
Greek physicians gleaned much of their knowledge of the healing power of aromatics not from the Romans but from the Egyptians.
They much favoured Theriaque and it was used right up until the early nineteenth century (until the emergence of mainstream Western medicine).
Theriaque was said to banish anxiety and was a remedy against every kind of poison or pestilence, including the bites of wild animals. It contained between 57 and 96 ingredients (temple recipes vary) which included myrrh, cinnamon, sweet flag, juniper, cassia, serpent skin, crocodile dung and spittle!
The aromas soon became popular in Rome. Pliny described the expensive unguent called Susinum which originated in Athens. It was composed of white lilies, roses, saffron and myrrh. As well as having cosmetic values it was used as a diuretic and for soothing vaginal inflammations.
Dioscorides, a first century Greek surgeon in the Roman army of Nero, included a chapter on oils in his medical encyclopaedia, which remained a standard medical text for 1000 years. He also conducted early distillation of 'quintessence' of plants and produced camphor and turpentine.
Hippocrates, known as the 'Father of Medicine' (460 to 377 BC), regarded the body as a whole, not just parts.
He pointed out that it is vital to seek the cause of any disease and eradicate it rather than just treat the symptoms. Hippocrates extolled the virtues of a daily aromatic bath and scented massage to prolong life.
In fact Plato is said to have reproached Herodicus (one of Hippocrates' teachers) for advocating the protraction of the miserable existence of the aged.
It is recorded that Hippocrates successfully combated plagues by fumigating the entire city of Athens with aromatic substances.
 T
he Chinese were ultimately involved in the quest for immortality through the practice of alchemy. The alchemist would douse himself in specially prepared perfumes and burn incense before carrying out his experiments.
A most renowned Persian physician Hakim Abu Ali Abdulah Husayn Ibn Sina otherwise known as Avicenna born in Uzbekistan 980 AD - 1037 AD, is credited with perfecting the art of distillation in the eleventh century.
 His method was so advanced that it has hardly altered in 900 years.
The invention of distillation led to the discovery and production of alcohol, and alcohol combined with essential oils made the production of non-oily perfumes possible.
He promoted the idea that pleasing aromas combated baser passions such as fear and sorrow, which in turn lowered vitality and contributed to the development of disease.
He also advocated massage, traction for broken limbs and a detoxifying all-fruit diet as part of his healing regime.
Arab physicians, after hearing recommendations of Hippocrates harnessed the power of aromatic oils to purity air and to protect from disease. Although they had no knowledge of microbial germs they were well aware of the prophylactic capabilities of perfume.
Essential oil of red rose (attar of rose) became an all-consuming passion with the Persians. Legend has it that fountains of rosewater danced in Persian palaces. They disinfected their bodies with sandalwood, camphor and rosewater and the psychotherapeutic values were well recognised.
 Crusading knights brought back to Europe the legendary 'perfumes of Arabia' along with the knowledge of distillation. Wealthy households installed their own stills for capturing essential oils, which were used as medicines and perfumes.
Unwashed bodies and clothes were smothered with perfume and little bouquets of aromatic herbs (tussie musses) were carried to prevent catching infectious diseases and to mask the stench of filthy city streets.
During the Great Plague in 1722, the potion of 'Four Thieves Vinegar' became famous.
A quartet of robbers who plundered the bodies of plague victims concocted this potion to protect themselves. Its ingredients consisted of garlic, rosemary, camphor, lavender, nutmeg, sage and cinnamon all suspended in vinegar.
The first reliable description of distillation of real essential oils is ascribed to the thirteenth century Catalan physician Arnald de Villanova, who introduced the art of distillation to standard European medical practice.
It is worth noting that when perfumes were made with real, naturally botanic fragrances, perfumery workers were virtually immune to the cholera outbreaks.
Great fifteenth century explorers continually arrived with many new plants and aromas gathered from around the world.
 Most notable during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was the contribution by French and German pharmacists and apothecaries to the emergency of essential oils, and by the eighteenth century almost every herbalist and many physicians used essential oils in their preparations.
The word 'aromatherapy' - derived from the French 'aromatherapie' - was first used in 1937 by the French cosmetic scientist Rene Maurice Gattefosse.
His research revealed that the volatile extracts distilled from certain aromatic plants had a profound effect on the skin. Although Gattefosse's research was mainly confined to cosmetic usage he soon became aware of the antiseptic and painkilling properties of essential oils.
 His hand was severely burned in a laboratory explosion, and the nearest liquid was a vat of lavender oil, into which he plunged his hand. The pain was soothed, his hand healed remarkably quickly and without infection or even a scar.
His interest in the healing process was also aroused by Dr Chaberies, a Frenchman, who in 1938 wrote a treatise on the therapeutic properties of aromatic plants.
Gattefosse's interest stimulated others to experiment with essential oils.
Dr Jean Valnet an ex army surgeon used essential oils to treat the battle wounds of soldiers during the Second World War. He also successfully treated several long-term psychiatric patients who were experiencing the side effects of drugs given to them to control their depression.
He was able to wean them off the drugs by treating them with essential oils in linament rubs, by mouth and introdermal injections (through the layers of skin rather than into a vein). Combined with herbal remedies and a strict dietary regime both the physical and mental symptoms were relieved.
Valnet continued with his work after the war and published his book The Practice of Aromatherapy in 1964, which is widely in use today. Thanks to Dr Valnet there are more than 1500 physicians in France who prescribe essential oils.
 An interesting fact shows that during the late nineteenth century it was noticed that TB cases in the flower-growing districts of France were uncommonly rare and French workers who processed fragrant flowers and herbs remained virtually free of any respiratory ailments. By the mid twentieth century, the pharmaceutical applications of essential oils became subordinate to their use in perfumes, beverages and foodstuffs and as flavouring agents for chemical drugs.
In fact essential oils owe their survival today to the food and fragrance industries that continued research and experimentation.
The discovery of active essential oil constituents has brought new understanding. Predictably, as new components were identified, a new industry of synthetic and isolated aromatics was born.
For any information or advice about aromatherapy or essential oils please contact us at karen@shop4essentialoils.com or call us on 07835 770575 |
