A History of Aromatherapy
Prehistoric Era: Aromatherapy shares a common early history with herbal medicine, of which it is a part. This is a history that extends thousands of years into the prehistoric past and chronicles the ancient relationship between human beings and plants.
Archeological evidence from the Shanidar cave burials in Iraq has been interpreted as indicating that Neanderthal people in the area were burying their dead with flowers more than 50,000 years ago. This inference was made from the presence of flower pollen from several species, including yarrow, which was found with the skeletal remains, concentrated around the head.
The amount of pollen found for some of the species suggested strongly that whole flowers had been placed in the burial but there has been lively debate in the field of archeology concerning whether or not the pollen might have been carried into the burial by rodents so this oldest evidence for the ritual use of plants remains speculative.
The archeological evidence for prehistoric ritual and medicinal use of plants by humans is fragmentary, especially prior to the Neolithic era (roughly 9000 to 3000 BCE). Most of the plants with the longest documented history of use are psychoactive in nature.
Full article: http://www.satyacenter.com/ancient-roots-fragrant-medicine
Great article Joh! — on the history of aromatherapy and its use on healing various dis-eases that plague humanity ~ even since the earliest times ~
I’ve been using it especially during my quiet times, where i might use some lavender-scented oils to help calm me down when i need it for bedtime — nothing goes quicker to our brains than the sense of smell ~ (via the olfactory system) — that’s how when we smell a fragrance so nice…..it immediately soothes our bodies and our minds ~ (just dont get “high” off of it tho…LOL!)
great stuff! ~ thanks for sharing!!
This is one of the best articles I have ever seen on the history of Aromatherapy, Johannes – thank you so much! ~ I infuse the fragrances of many plants, flowers and trees throughout my home by warming essential oils in my candle holder and also lighting of incense sticks ~ Daily burning of incense sticks is a tradition I have from early childhood memories ~ Blessings! ~ Coralina ~
Excellent article, Johannes! 🙂 I agree with Coralina. It is one of the best articles I’ve seen on this subject, too. We make use of aromatherapy in many ways in our home, as well as many other applications of plants, trees, flowers, and stones. We use incense, sage, sweetgrass, cedar, and other plant materials for a variety of things.
I have had the great Joy of harvesting sage and making sage candles a number of times. The very act is one of sacred union with Mother Earth and the sage plants themselves. It is a wholesome, healthy, grounding, and uplifting process. 🙂
In the winter, we use lamp rings with the oils of pine and wintergreen (or peppermint) to help lift the Spirit and bring about the wonderful refreshing nature of the season. It’s great for the holidays, too. 🙂
We use essential oils for medicinal purposes, too. Clove is good for toothaches. Lemon helps to stop bleeding. Rosemary kills airborne viruses and bacteria. The list goes on. Mother Nature has given us all we need to live a healthy, long Life. 🙂