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 (Ferula galbaniflua) Galbanum possesses an unusual and elusive scent. It is simultaneously green, spicy, woody, balsamic and musky, a fragrance of great depth and complexity.
It is a very sophisticated, even adult, scent, evocative rather than merely pretty or beautiful. To experience the fragrance of galbanum first-hand is to possess a sense of how sophisticated and subtle was the ancient Egyptian taste for perfumery.
As always, the ancients were also holistic. Galbanum was not only valued for its beauty and endurance; it was also part of the medical arsenal and remained so for years. Coptic medical documents indicate that galbanum was used to rid the home and body of fleas and other vermin.
The grande dame of modern aromatherapy, Madame Marguerite Maury, esteemed galbanum highly, particularly as a skin restorative that she felt should only be reserved for mature skin.
Galbanum bears other gifts as well. Equally prized in ancient Mesopotamia, it was known as the "Mother Resin;" its antispasmodic properties were used to ease the pain of childbirth as well as various dysfunctionings of the female reproductive system. Galbanum has more recently been used to treat agoraphobia, panic disorder and severe stress
Information courtesy of http://www.touregypt.net
"If you can't eat it, don't put it on your skin."
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