The First Uses of Poppies

The history of the poppy is a long one that reaches back to the ancient Sumerians, that when their name for the poppy hul gil was translated it meant plant of joy. The Assyrians and Babylonians also knew of the poppy as well as the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians used the opium for a sleep aid and also buried the Egyptian Pharaohs with opium along with the other treasures they sent them on to the next world with.

The ancient Greeks also revered this plant and many of their Gods and Goddesses had wreaths of poppies or carried them, such as Hypnos who was the God of sleep, Thanatos the God of death and Nyx the Goddess of night. Hippocrates known as the most important physician used the poppy for its hypnotic effects and Alexander The Great brought the poppy to Near Asia.

There have been archaeological finds that have dated the use of the opium poppy as far back as 4000 BC. and by 1000BC there is proof of it being cultivated in central Europe and the Aegean. There is proof of both the early Roman and Greek physicians using the opium poppy for medical reasons and it is believed it was also grown for its seeds and oil during these years.

During the 1500’s would be the first records of opium being smoked and ships to Asia and to America transported poppies and opium where its use would become well known for its medical properties and its oil.