When Oil was Oyle

Even though Aromatherapy seems to be new and a product of the overly health conscious late 80's, in reality various forms of essential oil use for medicinal purposes has gone on unbroken since the time of the ancient Egyptians. When Europe was cast into the Middle Ages, production of wonderful oils of Rose was booming in the Middle East. Europe reawakened to the use of essential oils after the time of the Crusades, where numerous exotic botanicals were brought back from distant lands including Mecca. It also led to the formation of trade routes which made it easier to obtain these aromatic items easier and on a more regular basis.

The creation of the precursors to essential oils became quite popular in England and other areas around the 16th - 17th century. With books also becoming feasible and available on a wider scale, author such as Mr. French and Nicholas Culpeper were able to spread the wonders of herbal healing. Oils, spelled oyle back then, was also a large part of these healing techniques. Mr. French who wrote on the wonders of sitillation, had a whole chapter with numerous recipes, devoted to the creation of oils. The same is true of Culpeper, who's oils are many times taken from quite ancient sources including the writings of Pliny, Galen and others of the great Greek eras.

The creation of such oils usually followed methods still used today in steam distillation of essential oils. On a smaller scale however, oils were extracted using hot water which was poured into a glass object known or shaped as a urinal and then placed over or in hot coals. The essential oil that floated on top was skimmed off using a spoon and bottled. Other methods included the maceration technique which involved plants material such as flower heads, laves, bark, etc., to be placed in fine oil and allowed to sit in the sun or over hot coals in order to draw out the healing properties. Afterwards the plant material was removed and all of the oil was utilized. The same cold be done in animal fat. Many times one oil was not extracted but instead a recipes containing five or more ingredients was combined and allowed to mingle. Such oils cold be used on skin conditions, on the hair and for treating wounds. Sometimes it was also allowed to evaporate into the air in an attempt to purify it. Many noticed that perfumers who created essential oils on a large scale did not fall ill from various diseases. This was attributed to the oils (perfumes) thus

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