Cedar Atlas heart
Origin: Morocco

• Details and product description

  Introduction:

  This tree can reach 40 m high and 2.3 m girth. Its rooting is strong with big, revolving and running roots. Its silhouette changes when it gets older: first, conic with a leaned top when it is young, it gradually takes a characteristic tabular bearing. At first, the bark is smooth and yellow-brown, then brown-grey-coloured, with cracks around 30 years old, to take a flaky aspect. The small branches are never grouped together and are either long with some isolated leaves, or short with many dense leaves. Evergreen tree for 3 years. The leaves are long, rigid, with a lozenge section and dark-green to green-blue-tinged. In autumn, male flowers are in ovoid catkin, green-blue or purplish-blue coloured. Fruits are conical, ovoid, smooth, resiniferous, green then brown-purplish-blue coloured. Big seeds (10 to14 mm), triangular-shaped, with a large wing.  Atlas cedarwood essential oil is derived from the famous Cedrus atlantica or Atlas Cedar. It holds an important role in history as it is believed to be one of the first essential oils ever distilled. Ancient records show its use in incense, medicine, and even cosmetics. The Atlas Cedar is believed to be related to, or have descended from, the legendary Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani) which is mentioned in the Bible. In fact, there are more references to cedars in the Bible than any other tree. They represented everything that was abundant and fertile. A Chinese legend says that two lovers who wanted to eternalize their love were transformed into cedars. Magic attributed purifying and protective powers to the cedar: cedarwood smoke is used in purification rites and to chase away bad dreams. Classified as a base or bottom note, Cedar Atlas combines perfectly with a wide range of other essential oils, particularly clary sage, cypress, jasmine, juniper berry, lavender, rosewood, rose, vetiver and most citrus oils. Although the resulting fragrance is not exactly the same, it can be used to replace sandalwood in many mixtures due to its relaxing and anti-stress properties.

  History:

  Cedar is a symbol of immortality. In ancient times it was called "the life of the dead", because its wood's fragrance take away insects and gnawing worms from tombs. Legend says that the Egyptian god Osiris was enclosed in a chest by his brother Seth, jealous of his prestige, and that this chest was thrown into the river. Isis, his wife, found the coffin in Byblos, Phoenicia, in the trunk of a tree that a King used to support the roof of his palace. Some say it was a tamarisk, others, an umbrella pine, or, finally, a cedar — and probably the latter version of the myth is the most plausible.  Egyptians used cedarwood oil for embalming. It was one of the ingredients of "mithridat", a famous poison antidote that was used for centuries. The Egyptians used its incorruptible and scented wood to make statues of gods and sarcophagus. They also attributed a divinatory property to it—its Egyptian name, âsh, means "to moan or creak." The Greeks burnt cedarwood during non-bloody sacrifices. "Cedrus" comes from the Latin which is derived from the ancient Greek Kedros of uncertain origin, designating several coniferous trees, including the cedar and juniper. From cedrus is derived cedar in English, Zeder, in German and Cedro, in Italian. With Greek authors Kedros also designated the cedar oil and the objects made with its wood. "Atlantica" comes from the Latin atlanticus, regions of the Atlantic, referring to the natural range of this tree (Moroccan Atlas) and in contrast to the Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara). The hero (comparable to Heracles or Hercules), during one of his many adventures, with help of the gods, confronted and overcame the monster protecting a cedar forest. Thus, Cedar was dedicated to the gods from ancient times. Asians venerated it from ancient times. In China, it is planted in sacred enclosures. In Japan, it is also held in high esteem by Buddhist monks and is traditionally planted around sanctuaries.

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