Lovely Lavender
Lavender, the purple flower that surrounds us, adding its color to the beauty of New Mexico, has been used as perfume for over 2500 years. while Abiquiu and the surrounding area and honestly most of the northern part of the state, is known for lavender, it's use has been reported all over the world.
The ancient Romans use lavender oils for cooking and bathing. The name lavender actually derived from the Latin verb "Lavare" which means to wash. The Romans also used lavender in soaps and carried it with them all over the empire. In medieval France, women who washed closed as a profession were called Lavenders. The clothes were washed in lavender oils and then laid to dry on heaps of lavender. The Greek physician to the Roman army, Dioscorides, prescribed lavender to be taken internally to relieve things like indigestion headaches and externally cleaned wounds.
The ancient Egyptians used lavender for mummification and perfume. Tutankhamen's tomb still contain traces of fragrant lavender! It was also said that Cleopatra used lavender to seduce Julius Caesar and Marc Antony, trying to maintain her power against her brother Ptolemy. In the ancient world, it was recognized as an antiseptic and a healing plant, an example being that the ancient Greeks used lavender to fight insomnia. In the Bible, lavender, also known as spikenard, was said to have been used to wash the feet of Jesus. Jesus then stated that the ointment was to be kept for the day of his burying.
In London during the plagues, lavender was used as a remedy. 16th century glove makers in France who used lavender to perfume their gloves escaped the plague of Cholera, only solidifying the plants medicinal qualities. British mothers would place lavender under their children's pillows and carried sachets of ground up lavender on long trips.
Lavender was hung above doorways and grown in and around churches and even thrown into bonfires to avert evil spirits. In Portugal and Spain such actions are still being used to repel away evil spirits on St. John's day. Seventh century thieves were said to wash in lavender after robbing graves so they didn't catch the plague. Romani travelers sold lavender on the streets of London to bring people good luck and to protect against ill fortune.
History states that the shakers were the first to grow lavender commercially. They created the first lavender farms on the continent and sold them to far away markets as well as producing their own products and medicines. Today, lavender is sold and grown all over the world!
Lavender to this day is extremely soothing. Mothers still use lavender to calm their children though the methods have changed over time. Not so long ago, ladies wore small lavender pouches to lure suitors. Lullabies are still being spoken, lavender being the main topic.
Lavenders green dilly dilly lavenders blue
you must love me dilly dilly because I love you
