Part 3: Historic Value of Essential Oils—Iran

In medieval Persia (now known as Iran), many were similarly harnessing the power of plants. The people in this region regularly used and traded resins and spices that were prized for perfumery as well as maintaining health. Avicenna (980–1037 AD), a Persian doctor, wrote extensively on health and wellness and is credited as the father of aromatherapy as we now know it. He also left a lasting mark in the field of chemistry for his experimentation with distillation. He attempted various distillation methods using flowers and was eventually able to isolate the scent of the rose as well as produce rose water.