The History of Aromatherapy

The History of Aromatherapy

The blending of essential
oils, plants and herbs has
been used for thousands
of years in aromatherapy.

Although the term 'aromatherapy' is a 20th century invention, the practice of using volatile plant oils, including essential oils, for psychological and physical well-being has a history that spans thousands of years. For most of that history, in China, Egypt and around the world, health practitioners have used their knowledge of the body's reactions to calming or stimulating aromas to heal.

As our contemporary society becomes more focused on natural health and spa and beauty treatments, people are turning to aromatherapists as skillful and valued professionals, making today an excellent time to 'follow the scent' toward a rewarding aromatherapy career.

Ancient Aromatherapy

The ancient cultures of China and Egypt provide some of the best documented histories of the use of aromatic plants for medicinal and health purposes. Many of these plants were made available because of the Arabian spice trade through Assyria, Babylon, China, Greece, Rome and Persia.

The oldest book of herbal medicine is probably The Divine Farmer's Herb-Root Classic, dating back to approximately 2700 B.C., thousands of years after the cultural hero Shennong, a legendary (perhaps mythical) emperor, lived. The book detailed the uses of more than 300 plants and herbs for their medicinal value.

The Egyptians first burned incense for religious ritual purposes, and used rare herbs and spices such as Frankincense, myrrh, galbanum, cinnamon, cedarwood, juniper berry and spikenard to preserve bodies for their journeys into the afterlife. The Egyptians are also thought to have invented a crude distillation machine to extract cedarwood oil. This process was eventually used for making aromatherapy oils and perfumes.

The Greek Contribution

Hippocrates (460 to 370 B.C.), known as the father of medicine, is an important figure in the history of aromatherapy, as he was the first to dismiss the Egyptian belief that illness was caused by supernatural forces. He focused on natural explanations, and saw surgery as a last resort, focusing instead on an early version of aromatherapy massage, baths and the internal and external use of herbs. When Alexander the Great invaded Egypt in the 3rd-century B.C., he brought back the Egyptian love of oils and perfumes, and Greek physicians such as Aristotle began to study how the scents of plants affected the emotions.

In 77 A.D., a Greek physician, Pedacius Dioscoride, wrote De Materia Medica, a treatise on herbal medicine, which remained the Western world's standard medical reference for about 1500 years. Many of the remedies he mentions are still in use today in medicine and aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy and the Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, the Persians made incredible contributions to herbal medicine. Al-Razi (865 to 925 A.D.) wrote 237 books and articles, many about medicine and the effects of aroma. He also developed tools for processing herbs, such as mortars, flasks and phials. Another Persian scholar, Ibn Sina (980 to 1037 A.D.), wrote the 14th volume Canon of Medicine, which gathered all existing medical knowledge, including the Hippocratic tradition.

In medieval and Renaissance Europe, Western medicine progressed and many herbalists gained advanced knowledge, such as Nicholas Culpeper (1616 to 1654), who wrote The English Physician, a description of herbs, oils and astrology.

The history of aromatherapy as a contemporary healing art began in 20th-century France. The French physician Rene-Maurice Gattefosse (1881 to 1950) coined the term "aromatherapie." His family had a perfumery business and he discovered that many of his essential oils had calming and healing properties as well. Another doctor, Jean Valnet, took these ideas, and added to them in an important work on aromatherapy, as did biochemist Marguerite Maury (1895 to 1968). The first book on the subject in English, The Art of Aromatherapy was written in 1977 by Robert Tisserand, and became the most important book on the subject for two decades, as well as the basis of healing aromatherapy education.

How the History of Aromatherapy
Shapes Today's Aromatherapy Profession

Contemporary aromatherapy has become a respected and valued profession for providing an alternative to traditional Western medicine, including aromatherapy massage, treatment of stress and particular ailments through healing aromatherapy. Aromatherapy is a lasting, evolving natural health industry, and is growing in our increasingly stressful and wellness-minded society.

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Sources:
Quinnessence Aromatherapy Ltd, 1997-2008.
Aromaweb, LLC, 1997-2008.
Ohio State University, 2002.