The History of the Aromatic Still Room

Historical Use of Herb and Plant Oils for Medicine and Perfume

Nov 24, 2008

Plants and herbs have had both medicinal and and perfumery uses for thousands of years; extraction of oils from the plant began in the still room.

Many ancient cultures have created natural perfumes and oils from the essential oils of plants; the ancient Egyptians were perhaps the most famous for the creation of the Kyphi fragrance. However, plants were not used for perfume alone; the Ebers Papyrus of ancient Egypt records the use of many plants in use for medicinal purposes. For centuries, the Chinese, Indians and Arabs were all frequent users of natural aromatic plants for both medicinal and perfumery use too.

Ancient Roman Still Rooms

Both the ancient Greeks and Romans were frequent users of natural plant oils and used them for many occasions, including bathing and banquets, as well as for medicinal purposes. In Pompeii, there is much evidence, preserved in the lava of the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D., to suggest that many herbs and plants were in evident use.

These plants and herbs included many common names such as Rose (Rosa damascena), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). There are written records which show ingredients of some perfumes and oils which were in popular use at that time. Evidence has also been uncovered in the archaeological excavations of Pompeii of perfumery making houses and early forms of 'still rooms'.

How Early Perfumes and Plant Medicines Were Made

Early perfumes were made of pure natural ingredients unlike many synthetic brand perfumes today; flower petals, plant seeds and tree bark were all combined with naturally fragrant resins and gums. The process of making perfumes altered over the years; however, early ancient perfumes were simply made and were called unguents.

Unguents were body perfumes and were made by immersing the plant material in a fat or oil base; this process was called enfleurage. Similarly, plant oils used for medicinal purposes were also made this way; today many plant oils are commonly known as essential oils and are used in the practice of aromatherapy.

The Origins of the European Still Room

The still room became commonplace in the sixteenth century and by the eighteenth century many large European country houses had their own still room. In the still room, aromatic plant material was prepared for cosmetic, medicinal and culinary uses, using the plants, flowers and herbs found on the country estate. The still room was firstly used for the making of remedies for medicinal and hygienic purposes and secondly used to make culinary oils and wines.

Natural Remedies and Oils Made in the Still Room

The still room was also used to make perfumes, soaps, candles, fragrant waters, home remedies, cosmetics, potpourri and moth repellents; however, even fragrant perfumes had many beneficial medicinal properties due to the natural plant materials from which they were made. Many medicinal home remedies were made from common herbs and plants such as Peppermint (Mentha piperita), Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and Rose (Rosa damascena).

Still Room Recipes

In the still room, roses were often used to make flower waters; lavender and other fragrant herbs were used to scent linen and clothes. Myrtle flowers were used to make a skin tonic named Angel Flower Water. It was common to sprinkle scented water on the floors of a house too; Lemon Balm leaves were used as a furniture polish for oak.

Scented herbs and woods were burned to prevent the spread of disease and infection, a common practice at the time of the Great Plague of London in 1665. The still room was a place for many European aromatic home remedies up until the nineteenth century when synthetically engineered materials emerged.

The Still Room Today

The emergence of synthetically engineered materials for both perfumes and medicines eradicated the desire for natural products made from natural plant oils. Today's perfumes, and many modern pharmaceuticals, are composed almost entirely of synthetically engineered components; however, many people are finding that they are experiencing an adverse reaction to either a surplus of chemical material in perfumes or allergic reactions to modern medicines. Both natural fragrances and natural medicine practices are starting to experience a rise in popularity once again.

References:

Giordano, Carlo, Casale, Angelandrea, Profumi, Ungenti e Acconciature in Pompei Antica (Perfumes, Ungents and Hairstyles in Pompeii) Roma, Italia: Bardi Editore

The copyright of the article The History of the Aromatic Still Room in Medicinal Plants is owned by Sharon Falsetto. Permission to republish The History of the Aromatic Still Room in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.