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History of Essential Oils

  As they fell from heaven, the plants said, “Whichever living soul we pervade, that man will suffer no harm.”

~ Rig Veda
People sometimes ask me, “How long do essential oils last?” My answer is: “How long do you expect to live?”
Essential oils found in King Tut’s tomb were still good. When you buy a quality essential oil from Young Living, and keep it out of extreme heat or cold, it can last a long time!
Read on for a brief history of essential oils, which have been used since 3,500 B.C.

Essential oils have been used for thousands of years

Hieroglyphics found on the walls of Egyptian temples depict the blending of oils and describe hundreds of recipes.

Click here or on the photo for a timeline of essential oil use.

Ancient wisdom, modern science

Ancient writings tell of scented barks, resins, spices and aromatics that were used in rituals, temples, astrology, embalming and medicine.

There are over 200 references to aromatics, incenses, and ointments in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

According to The Essential Oils Desk Reference, 4th Edition, the 12th century herbalist, Hildegard of Bingen, used herbs and oils extensively in healing. Her book, Physica, has more than 200 chapters on plants and their uses for healing.
In recent years, essential oils were ‘re-discovered’ by several French physicians. In the early 1900’s a French chemist, Dr. Gattefosse, was accidentally burned, quite severely. He writes that “just one rinse with lavender essence stopped the gassification of the tissue.”
During World War I, a French physician, Dr. Monciere, used essential oils to assist wounded and sick soldiers in their recovery. And during World War II, Dr. Jean Valnet used essential oils in a similar way.
Today, thousands of  research studies confirm the amazing benefits of essential oils to support animal and human well-being – something that those of us who use essential oils experience every day.