June 2023 - Apothecary & Crystals

GET OUTSIDE!

The weather is absolutely amazing in Globe right now and we are the perfect destination for a short day trip, with some of the best scenic views in Arizona! Stop in at the Pickle Barrel Trading Post where we've been updating the store and filling the shelves with new and exciting products. And don't forget to stroll through the parking lot and take a look at all of our fun new metal yard art.

This month, we take a look at:

THE HISTORY OF THE APOTHECARY SHOP & HEALING CRYSTALS

Stop in and take a look at the new Pickle Barrel Trading Post apothecary shop!

HISTORY OF THE APOTHECARY SHOP

In the past, an Apothecary was a person who prepared and sold medicines and drugs and did some surgery. As an Apothecary would prescribe and make the remedies, they were a combination of today’s doctors and manufacturers.

In Colonial times, most apothecaries learned their healing methods through apprenticeships. Some also studied at medical schools, but this education method was not always readily available.

Apothecaries used herbs, spices and sometimes surgery to heal their patients. They also made pills, which were dried herbs that they bound with honey or other substances.

For centuries before the Victorian period, women would typically make their own medicines at home using simple herbal remedies. Wealthier households would even have a 'still room' where home remedies could be distilled in greater quantities.

By the Victorian era, it was common to purchase one's medicines from the local apothecary or pharmacist who stocked compounds and tonics for a variety of ailments.

In addition to medications, hand creams and face creams were considered medicinal because they protected the skin from damage caused by weather, heat, and harsh soaps that left skin dry and cracked.

For these, an apothecary would use time-tested ingredients such as rosewater, lavender, oatmeal, lemons, almonds, elderflower water, and even sugar.

HISTORY OF HEALING CRYSTALS

The first historical references to the use of crystals come from Ancient Sumerians, who included crystals in magic formulas. The Ancient Egyptians used lapis lazuli, turquoise, carnelian, emerald and clear quartz in their jewelry. They also carved amulets of the same gems. The Ancient Egyptians used stones primarily for protection and health.

Ancient Egyptians held a complex polytheistic belief system. Their religion featured multiple deities, each in control of a unique worldly element.

Royalty or individuals in high social standing often adorned themselves with certain crystals and stones in honor of their revered gods and goddesses. Royal ladies, for instance, often donned jewelry featuring crushed lapis lazuli stones, which were associated with Isis, the goddess of the sky.



STORE HOURS:

WED-SAT 10AM-5:45PM

SUN 11AM-5PM

CLOSED MON & TUE