The oregano plant is one of those wild species that has been growing in the Mediterranean region for centuries. Humans must have enjoyed discovering the healing properties of oregano oil when they first began to crush the flowers and press the leaves with their stone age tools. The Assyrians were the first to write about the oil, but the Greeks made it famous and named the oil. The Greeks claimed oregano oil was created by a goddess.
The name oregano comes from two Greek words, ‘oros,’ which means mountains and ‘ganos,’ which means joy. ‘Joy of the mountains’ summed up what the Greeks thought of this sweet smelling plant that grew on the mountainsides that surrounded their villages. Ancient Greek myths tell the story of the goddess Venus creating the plants. Aphrodite, another goddess, had a passion and love for the taste and the aroma of the plant.
The Greeks believed that the oil from the plant made the meat from their goats and sheep tender and tastier, and they also used the oil to treat several different ailments like headaches, asthma, and insect bites. Some Greeks believed the oil was also an antidote for poison. Aristotle made that claim when he saw tortoises chewing and eating the leaves of oregano after they ate a snake. Some ancients Greeks scoffed at that idea. They said the tortoises were just trying to add a little flavor to their meal.
Oregano oil has always been associated with marjoram and has frequently been called wild marjoram. In Spanish the word oregano means marjoram, but even though this other Mediterranean variety looks like and is related to marjoram they are two different herbs. Back in ancient time’s marjoram was called oregano in other cultures as well, and it was used for the same type of ailments.
The Chinese also write about the healing properties of oregano oil. The Chinese used the oil to heal sores, acne, gum disease, and nail fungus. The oil was said to comfort the dead when it was thrown on a grave, and the leaves were carried somewhere on the body for good luck as well as to bring health and happiness.
During The Middle Ages Oregano Was Used In Rituals
The Greeks and the Romans were the first to use oregano in religious rituals and wedding ceremonies. The bride and groom were crowned with oregano laurels. During the Middle Ages oregano was used to protect homes from evil, and they believed that the oil could instigate psychic dreams at night when it was rubbed on the forehead. But the main use for oregano was for medicinal purposes as well as for food flavoring. The Romans made oregano a staple in their recipes, but they also used the oil to treat symptoms of hay fever.
Today, oregano oil is being studied for its ability to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Research shows the oil has antioxidant properties as well as antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory agents in its chemical compounds.
