History of Aromatherapy
Way Back into the Centuries
It has been said that the history of aromatherapy may travel
back as far as 40,000 years, but the earliest written record
dates to 2650 which a book titled “The Art of Aroma
Therapy” was penned by Tisserand.
However, certain sources praise ancient Egyptians for using
plant oils in medical treatment between four and six thousand
years ago. They used the oils from plants for medicinal and
cosmetic purposes, which includes bathing, perfuming, healing
and as well as embalming. The history of aromatherapy also
has written its use in cleansing and beautifying as well.
The credit for oils and perfumes can go to Europe to the
crusaders when trade routes began to grow. Since plenty of
the Roman’s medicinal knowledge came from the Greeks,
Rome became known as the bathing capital of the world once
they perfected the use of oils.
During the plague outbreak in Europe in the middle ages,
the health advantages of essentials became part of the history
of aromatherapy as its effects of healing were discovered.
However, it wasn’t until the 19th century that scientists
of Europe began investigating the healing properties of oils.
The term aromatherapy was invented by Rene Maurice Gattefosse
who, in a book, wrote about the anti-bacterial affects of
essential oils. However, it wasn’t until French Biochemist
Madame Margaret Maury invented the massages with the essential
oils of plants as a healing practice did the history of aromatherapy
become realized.
California became part of the history of aromatherapy in
the 1980’s where it was introduced and health food stores
today which sell various oils and products as do a multitude
of internet web sites. Based on the history of aromatherapy,
many massage therapists, chiropractors and psychologists include
it into their practice.
Although history of aromatherapy is pretty long, people have
been slow to recognize it as a part of medicinal health. However,
today’s aroma therapists suppose that licensing standards
can help the practice grow as more and more people understand
and recognize the healing potential of essential oils.
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