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To understand how valuable Oils were in ancient Egypt, records show that when Tutankhamen's tomb was opened in 1922, 350 liters of Oil were discovered in alabaster jars. Amazingly, the plant waxes had solidified around the openings of the jars, sealing and preserving the Oils! The National Geographic reported in October of 1985 that almost 1,000 years before Christ, dynasties of the ancient world were fighting over the lucrative Oil and Incense market. Caravans of 3,000 camels transported costly aromatics along the spice route, a 2,400-mile-long road that stretched from southern Arabia to the coast of Israel.

The Chinese use Incense to honor ancestors and household or tutelary deities, and in Japan it is a mainstay of Shinto ritual. Hindus use Incense for all temple and domestic offerings, while Buddhists burn Incense at festivals, initiations, and daily rites. The Orphic Greeks burnt Incense as an oblation and for protection. In Rome it was an important element in public and private sacrifices, especially in the worship of the emperor. The Egyptians used Oils in their art of embalming mummifying and utilized Incense as a basic ingredient for sacrificial rituals. The ancient Arabian people began to study the chemical properties of Oils. They developed and refined the distillation process. The Romans used Oils by diffusing them in their temples and political buildings. They were fond of soaking in Oil-scented baths, then receiving a fragrant Oil massage. The early Christian church utilized Incense to symbolize the ascent of prayers of the faithful, and to honor God and the saints. It is noteworthy that Frankincense and Myrrh were offered to Jesus Christ in his infancy by the Eastern Sages. Although its use was restricted for a time after the Reformation, Incense was widely restored to ritual in Protestant liturgy by the 19th century Oxford Movement. Elsewhere in Christendom, Incense use has been a constant feature of ritual in the Eastern and Western branches of Catholicism, as well as in Eastern Orthodox Churches. The church used certain Oils for consecrating and anointing. Aromatic resin, is still offered today by the descendants of Aztecs and Mayas to worship their ancestral deities as well as the Catholic saints of their adopted religion. In North and South America, tobacco, sage, and other aromatic herbal substances are used for purifying and are important components of traditional indigenous Native American ritual.

In the West 16th century alchemists were pursuing the 'quintessence', or secret of life. The ancient philosophers believed that there was a quintessential or 5th element, which formed Heavenly Bodies and pervaded all things. This led to the discovery of Essential Oils and later the development of Aroma Therapy. Perfume and ointment makers have been involved for centuries in healing and promoting well being. The essence of some Oils are still incorporated into some pharmaceutical products such as special mouthwashes and toothpaste. Oils and Incense has not become any less precious over the centuries. Not only has our modern day science discovered more uses and value but Oils and Incense are still used today for their particular ancient purposes.

As we enter the 21^st Century, science has confirmed that the aromatic essences of leaves, bark, roots and flowers can enhance our moods, sharpen our minds and awaken our physical selves. Science has discovered that our sense of smell plays a significant role in our overall health and mental attitude. Aromas are inhaled and directed by the olfactory system to the limbic system of the brain. In turn, the brain responds to the particular scent effecting our emotions and chemical balance. The sense of smell is the most powerful of all our senses. Smells trigger memories, of experiences and events form this life, and it is believed from past as well.

The practice of using Oils and burning Incense was common in ancient China, India, the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean world. The great Chinese dynasties, east Indian cultures, Sumerians, Babylonians, Phoenicians, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans and the Pharaohs in Egypt all used Oils and Incense in religious ceremonies and to ensure good fortune.

The word ‘perfume’ derives from the Latin ‘Par-fumare’, meaning ‘though smoke’ Aromatics, as they were called, were some of the most prized treasures of the ancient world - they were traded for gold, silver, and even slaves. In the beginning aromatic fragrances in the form of (Oils and Incense) were employed to counteract disagreeable odors and drive away demons, Incense was said both to manifest the presence of the gods (fragrance being a divine attribute) and to gratify them. Oils and Incense has been a feature of religious ceremonies worldwide since ancient times. The Chinese have ancient herbal traditions that can be found recorded 8000 BC. The Vedas of India, eloquently mention the virtues of Oils and Incense as early a 5,000 BC, and mentioned in the Egyptian papyrus manuscripts written early as 4000 BC.