Aloe Vera history stretches back some 4000 years.
One of the first documented records in Aloe Vera history was found in the Egyptian scrolls named “Ebers Papyrus”, dating from around 1550BC. The translated information contained a list of several hundred recipes including 12 for different aloe preparations.
Ancient texts have made reference to famous figures from the past.
Names such as Nefertiti (1370-1330BC), Alexander the Great (356-323BC) and Cleopatra (69-30BC).
Nefertiti, an Egyptian queen, maintained her youthful complexion until a very old age by drinking and bathing in aloe juice.
It is said that Aristotle advised Alexander the Great to conquer the Indian Ocean island of Socotra. This was to obtain the Aloe Vera growing there for use on battle wounds for his army.
Cleopatra, also an Egyptian queen was said to have used aloe as a skin moisturizer.
Throughout the centuries the Egyptians and Romans, the Greeks, Indians, Arabs and Chinese have all made reference to using aloe.
Both Marco Polo (1254-1324) and Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) provided descriptions of the many applications and use of Aloe Vera and its medicinal importance.
In Africa, hunters would use aloe on their body in order to mask their scent.
Aloe is a great insect repellent.
It helped prevent insect bites then and still does today.
By the 17th Century settlers in North America, were using Aloe Vera as a burn treatment and also to heal wounds.
This practice was shared with many of the indigenous tribes.
A big step forward to the 20th Century.
Florida 1912 was where the first commercial Aloe farm was established.
The 1930’s saw the first documented use of Aloe to treat and heal radiation burns.
After the 2nd World war it was used to aid the victims of nuclear fallout in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
AloeVera is very resilient plant. It can even grow in areas where nuclear testing has taken place.
It wasn’t until the 1960’s, by a Dr. Bill Coats, that a method to extract and stabilise the ‘gel’ was discovered.
The method used a process that allowed the full potency of the Aloe to be retained.
1978-2009. The start of a global marketing company. The company is based in Arizona, with huge aloe plantations in the US and Caribbean and markets a vast range of premium aloe products.
To view and purchase a complete Aloe Vera product range please click on this link (opens a new page).
So there you have it, Aloe Vera history in a nutshell.
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