The Healing Effects of Lavender in Ancient History
This article aims to recite for you how Lavender was used in the ancient world, through the middle ages, renaissance, modern era, victorian era and throughout the ancient history; and how it was evolved to the nowadays usage as we have mentioned in our previous chapters. All we want to highlight here is, aromatherapy is not something new, but is something before any chemical substance is involved and developed, and which has a proven record and minimal (if any) detrimental side effects on our body systems and the environment.
For those who are interested to study more about history and development, this article will be your starting point for further research.
In the previous chapter of this series, we covered the "Basic Knowledge of Lavender" (click to read) and "The 3 Commonly Used Lavandula Species" (click to read) and "The 12 Uses and Benefits of Lavender" (click to read). In this chapter, we are going to go into the details of the healing effect of Lavender throughout history.
Recap: Today, lavender may be enjoyed simply for its wonderful fragrance but it also is used to induce sleep, ease stress and relieve depression. But other than its relaxing aroma, Lavender also has a lot of other useful uses and effects, and has a lot of many other varieties which may not be as curing as the one we usually use to calm and cure. It can be used as a tea, to make compresses for dressing wounds and to apply to the forehead to relieve congestion on sinuses, headaches, hangovers, tiredness, tension and exhaustion and in many other ways. It is one of the most popular and versatile essential oils used in aromatherapy.
In researching about “Lavender”, we have studied a lot of interesting materials and have written a very long essay. In the coming few weeks, we will extract some interesting information from the essay, and take you through our Lavender garden, hoping to show you the wonderful effects of Lavender, its varieties, and their different uses. If you are an history person, do not miss the last episode of the series which we will explore how "Lavender" has become widely used from ancient times to the modern era.
Lavender Series
Chapter 4: The Healing Effect of Lavender
in Ancient History
Lavender (when we talk about Lavender in this section, we mean the broader genus of Lavandula in general) has been used for centuries in many different cultures.
First it was collected from the wild in the Mediterranean region where it grew and later it was cultivated. Although there are 30 different species of lavender, and today more than 300 cultivars, Lavendula angustifolia (True Lavender) was the most prominent kind. To a lesser extent Lavandula stoechas (Spanish lavender) was sometimes used. Today Lavandula x intermedia (Lavandin), a natural hybrid discovered in France in the 20th century, is grown extensively as well. The Romans called it lavender which may have come from the Latin verb “lavare” which means “to wash” or from the word “livendulo” which means “livid or bluish”. The Greeks referred to it as Nardus after the city of Naardus in Syria, and people in India called it spikenard, which referred to the shape of its flowers. Its uses is also mentioned in the Bible.
ANCIENT WORLD
Egypt
Lavender was used in ancient Egypt for embalming and cosmetics. When the tomb of Tutankhamen was opened, jars filled with unguents containing something resembling lavender were found. These unguents were used only by the royal families and high priests in cosmetics, massage oils, and medicines. Wealthy men would put solid cones of this unguent on their heads, which, as it melted, covered their bodies with perfume.
Greece
Pliny the Elder, a Greek writer and encyclopediast, noted its benefits in helping those with menstrual problems, upset stomachs, kidney disorders, jaundice, dropsy and treating insect bites.
Rome
Ancient Romans recognized lavender for its healing and antiseptic qualities, for its usefulness in deterring insects, and used it in washing. The first written record of the healing* uses of lavender appears to be that of the Greek military physician Dioscorides in 77 AD. Dioscordes, a Greek military physician under the Roman Emperor, Nero, collected medicinal plants from around the Mediterranean. Lavender, he noted, when taken internally relieved indigestion, headaches and sore throats. Externally, lavender could be used to clean wounds* and burns* or treat skin ailments*. Roman soldiers took lavender on campaigns with them to dress war wounds*. Lavender was strewn on the floor to sweeten the air, fumigate sick rooms and as incense for religious ceremonies.
* for the healing effect mentioned here, we believe it is referring to True Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
MIDDLE AGES
Lavender experienced a renaissance in Tudor England. When Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, lavender moved to domestic gardens. The ladies of the manor used lavender for all kinds of things. It was placed among linens, sewn into sweet bags, used to freshen the air, and mixed with beeswax to make furniture polish. Traditionally it was planted near the laundry room and linens and clothing were laid over the plants to dry while absorbing the fresh odor of lavender. It was also useful in repelling insects.
Queen Elisabeth, who loved lavender, used it in tea to treat her frequent migraines and as a perfume. Lavender is one of the oldest perfumes used in England. Henrietta Marie, wife of King Charles I, who brought cosmetics to the English court, used lavender in perfumed soaps, potpourris, and water for washing and bathing.
King Charles VI of France had his seat cushions stuffed with lavender. In the twelfth century Hildegard of Bingen noted that oil of lavender was effective in the treatment of head lice and fleas.
RENAISSANCE
In the 16th century France, lavender was regarded as an effective and reliable protection against infection. Glove makers who were licensed to perfume their wares with lavender often seemed to escape cholera.
In the 17th century lavender was found in most herbals as a cure all. The great English herbalists Gerard, Parkinson and Culpepper all wrote about lavender. Great interest was generated and lavender street sellers appeared. Prices were high during the Great Plague of 1665 when lavender was thought to protect against this terrible disease. Grave robbers washed plague victim’s belongings in Four Thieves Vinegar, which contained lavender.
VICTORIAN ERA
Queen Victoria was a great enthusiast in the use of lavender. She appointed Miss Sarah Sprules “Purvey of Lavender Essence to the Queen.” Lavender was very fashionable among the ladies. They bought it from street sellers who brought it up from Mitcham. Fresh lavender was dried and put into muslin bags for wardrobes, used to wash walls and furniture and lavender bags were stuffed between sheets in linen presses. Lavender was used to repel inspects, treat lice, as a perfume and a potpourri, in furniture polish and soap and as a cure-all in household medicine cupboards. Smaller bags were made for young women to wear in their cleavage in hopes of attracting a suitor. Lavender appeared in the London Pharmacopeia.
During Victorian times Mitcham, a London suburb, was the center of lavender oil production. English lavender products become known all over the world.
In the US, Shakers grew lavender commercially. It was popular in gift items and medicines.
MODERN ERA
The French Rene Gattefosse was the first to discover lavender’s ability to promote tissue regeneration* and speed wound healing* when he severely burned his arm in a laboratory explosion. He used lavender oil; the pain stopped and the burn healed quickly with no infection or scarring. Lavender oil was used to dress war wounds* during the World War I when medical antiseptics were in short supply. Today, lavender is one of the few essential oils to still be listed in the British Pharmacopoeia.
* for the healing effect mentioned here, we believe it is referring to True Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
NOWADAYS
Lavender is one of the most well know floral scent, and one of the most popular essential oil to a lot of people, many of whom are attracted by its calming and floral sweet scent which soothes us from our stress and hectic life. Today lavender may be enjoyed simply for its wonderful fragrance but it also is used to induce sleep, ease stress and relieve depression. But other than its relaxing aroma, Lavender also has a lot of other useful uses and effects, and has a lot of many other varieties which may not be as curing as the one we usually use to calm and cure. It can be used as a tea, to make compresses for dressing wounds and to apply to the forehead to relieve congestion on sinuses, headaches, hangovers, tiredness, tension and exhaustion and in many other ways. It is one of the most popular and versatile essential oils used in aromatherapy.
After its long and interesting history, lavender is still a popular and special plant widely enjoyed and used in many ways all around the world in the 21st century.
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The Healing Effect of Lavender in Ancient History
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Source：
Modifying the Mood, Aromatherapy Toolkit, Centre of Excellence
Life Science Products and Publishing Essential Oils Desk References (8th Edition) Life Science Products and Publishing
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