Thyme

THYME - Thymus vulgaris - Mint FamilyCommon names: Common thyme, garden thyme, tomillo HISTORY OF USEThyme is an ancient Mediterranean herb with a long history of use as both medicine and food. The Egyptians used thyme’s powerful antiseptic and preservative qualities by including it in their embalming mixture. The Greek word thymus means “courage” and the Greeks denoted thyme as elegance. The Romans used Thyme medicinally as a cough remedy, digestive aid, and treatment for intestinal worms. During the Middle Ages, thyme became linked to courage. It was fashionable for noble women to embroider sprigs of thyme on scarves and give them to favorite knights departing for the Crusades. As the centuries passed, thyme was used as an antiseptic during plagues. Those troubled by “melancholia” (depression) were advised to sleep on thyme-stuffed pillows. By the late 17th century, apothecary shops were selling thyme oil as a topical antiseptic under the name “oil of origanum.” In 1853, French chem