This is an excellent and nuanced question because the term "essential oil" and its widespread use in concentrated form is a relatively modern development, especially compared to the long history of traditional medicine.
Here's the distinction:
Traditional Medicine Primarily Used the Whole Herb or Simple Extracts, Not Concentrated Essential Oils:
Historically, in most traditional medicine systems (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, European herbalism, etc.), lavender was used in forms that were not essential oils as we know them today (highly concentrated, steam-distilled extracts). Instead, traditional uses involved:
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Dried Flowers and Leaves: Directly used in sachets, poultices, or burned for aromatic purposes.
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Infusions/Teas: Steeping dried or fresh lavender in hot water to make beverages for internal consumption (e.g., for digestion, sleep, headaches).
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Tinctures: Soaking lavender in alcohol to create potent liquid extracts, but still far less concentrated than essential oils.
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Decoctions: Boiling tougher plant parts to extract medicinal compounds.
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Macerated Oils/Infused Oils: Soaking lavender flowers in a carrier oil (like olive oil) over time to extract some aromatic and therapeutic compounds into the oil. These are much milder than essential oils and contain more of the whole plant's beneficial components.
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Hydrosols/Floral Waters: These are the aromatic waters that are a byproduct of the distillation process. While distillation itself has ancient roots (as early as 1200 BCE in Mesopotamia for perfumery, and later refined in the Arab world around the 9th-10th centuries), the primary goal was often to obtain these floral waters or less concentrated aromatic oils, not the highly potent essential oils for broad medicinal ingestion.
When Did Essential Oils (as we know them) Emerge in Traditional Medicine?
The refinement of distillation techniques, particularly the invention of the coiled cooling pipe by the Persian physician Avicenna in the 10th century, significantly improved the efficiency of extracting essential oils. This allowed for purer and more concentrated aromatic essences.
From the Middle Ages onwards, essential oils (including lavender oil) began to be recognized and used by some physicians and alchemists. For example:
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Hildegard von Bingen (12th century): Described the use of lavender "oil" (likely a more concentrated extract or early essential oil) as a sedative for headaches and toothaches.
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Paracelsus (16th century): Studied pure natural oils and incorporated them into his remedies.
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16th-17th Century Europe: There are historical anecdotes of perfumers and glove makers who used lavender oil to scent their wares seemingly escaping the plague, suggesting some recognition of its antiseptic or protective qualities, even if the mechanism wasn't fully understood.
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René-Maurice Gattefossé (early 20th century): While not "traditional medicine" in the ancient sense, Gattefossé's accidental discovery of lavender essential oil's healing properties on his burned hand during a lab accident is often cited as a foundational moment for modern aromatherapy. He then championed its use in clinical settings during WWI for wound healing. This period marks the widespread re-adoption and scientific study of essential oils for therapeutic purposes.
Conclusion:
So, the answer is:
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Not extensively in ancient or early traditional medicine as highly concentrated, internally ingested essential oils. Their primary use was through the whole herb or less concentrated infusions/oils.
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Yes, to a limited and evolving extent, following the development of distillation techniques (from the Middle Ages onwards). Early forms of essential oils or highly potent extracts of lavender were used in some traditional medical practices, particularly for external application (wounds, pain) and sometimes for inhalation or in small, specific doses internally.
The widespread, commercial availability and varied applications of highly concentrated lavender essential oil, as used in modern aromatherapy, are a more recent phenomenon building upon centuries of traditional herbal knowledge.