Balsam oil
Encyclopedia
Balsam oil, also called oil of Peru or Balsam Peru oil, is an essential oil
of Myroxylon pereirae
. Balsam oil was used in ancient Egypt to mummify the dead.
According to the biblical book of Esther, balsam oil was used to help prepare the harem's virgins to meet the king (Est 2:12). Another biblical mention was when the queen of Sheba went to confirm King Solomon's wisdom, her amazement caused her to give the king 'a great deal of balsam oil' for which 'there never came anymore the like of that balsam oil for the quantity such' given (1 Kings 10:10).
Essential oil
An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils or aetherolea, or simply as the "oil of" the plant from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove...
of Myroxylon pereirae
Myroxylon
Myroxylon J.R.Forst. & G.Forst is a synonym of Xylosma.Myroxylon is a genus of two species of Central American and South American trees in the Fabaceae . The tree is well known in the western world as the source for Peru balsam and Tolu balsam. The tree is often called Quina or Balsamo...
. Balsam oil was used in ancient Egypt to mummify the dead.
According to the biblical book of Esther, balsam oil was used to help prepare the harem's virgins to meet the king (Est 2:12). Another biblical mention was when the queen of Sheba went to confirm King Solomon's wisdom, her amazement caused her to give the king 'a great deal of balsam oil' for which 'there never came anymore the like of that balsam oil for the quantity such' given (1 Kings 10:10).