Daphne soap

Article 8
Greek name: Δάφνη [Daphni]

Price: per gram, 1.50 kr.
The weight per bar varies between 115 and 140 grams.
Size: about 7 x 8 x 2.5 cm
Expected in the shop: beginning of 2026

Daphne soap is a luxurious olive oil soap. The concentration laurel fruit oil in Daphne soap is 20% and comparable with the renowned Aleppo soap, an olive oil soap with a between 2 and 20% laurel berry oil concentration.

Daphne

“Daphne”, or in Greek: Δάφνη, is the name of the laurel tree: Laurus Nobilis². Daphne is also the name of a beautiful nymph³ from classical mythology. Her name means laurel ⁴. Her appearance attracted many suitors, but she rejected them all. In his Metamorphoses, Ovid described how the pursuit of the lovelorn god Apollo drove her to despair.⁵ The myth of Apollo and Daphne is a captivating tale from Greek mythology that explores themes of unrequited love, transformation, and the consequences of unchecked desire. This myth has been retold and reinterpreted throughout history, inspiring many works of art and literature. This article ⁶ delves into the myth’s origins, different versions, symbolism, and interpretations, offering a comprehensive understanding of this enduring story.

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The leaves of the Laurus Nobilis tree are used for the production of essential oils, and the fruits are used for the production of laurel berry oil, which is also used in handmade soap production in Aleppo ⁷ and other Syrian cities, and in Palestinian soaps, such as the Nablus ⁸ soap.

In the distant past, Greece was strongly oriented towards the Middle East and an exchange of knowledge about soap production must have certainly taken place. Where the first soap was made is not certain, but it is speculated that it was in Syria, which makes it acceptable that the same soap formula has been used in Greece as well.

The new “Daphne” soap, like the Aleppo soap, is a Bay Laurel soap. According to the Hellenic-Gods-website and the article Laurel – Daphne – Δάφνη ⁹, the bay tree (Laurus Nobilis) is also called “sweet bay” or “Grecian bay”.

The Encyclopedia of Stanford Trees, Shrubs & Vines also calls Laurus Nobilis Greek laurel. ¹⁰

Aleppo ^{11 12 13} soap (also known as savon d’Alep, laurel soap, Syrian soap, or ghar soap, from Arabic غَار, meaning laurel), is a handmade, hard bar of soap associated with the city of Aleppo, in Syria. Aleppo soap is made from olive oil, and laurel berry oil (zeit ghar), water, and lye; the concentration of laurel oil, typically 2–20%, determines the quality and price of the soap. Aleppo soap, like the Cretan-Garden soaps, is biodegradable.

*Galleri: Laurus Nobilis

Supplier Laurel Berry Oil:

• Nature in a Bottle, India – organic laurel berry oil oil from Turkey. Question by Cretan-Garden: do you, who reads this, know a wholesaler in Crete? Please contact me. Note: laurel bay fruit oil is not an essential oil, but a so-called carrier oil, like olive oil.

Footnotes

1. Olive Oil: Nutritional Applications, Beneficial Health Aspects and its Prospective Application in Poultry Production (2021) ↩︎
2. Wild Herbs of Crete – Laurus Nobilis, Bay Laurel ↩︎
3. Wikipedia – Nymph ↩︎
4. Daphne ↩︎
5. Historiek – Daphne, de nimf die in een laurierboom veranderde / Daphne, the nymph who turned into a laurel tree ↩︎
6. Greek Myths and Greek Mythology – The Myth of Apollo and Daphne ↩︎
7. Aleppo soap ↩︎
8. Nablus soap ↩︎
9. Hellenic Gods, Laurel – Daphne – Δάφνη ↩︎
10. Encyclopedia of Stanford Trees, Shrubs & Vines – Laurus nobilis Grecian laurel, sweet bay ↩︎
11. Video: Aleppo in 2024, part 1 ↩︎
12. Video: Aleppo in 2024, part 2 ↩︎
13. Article: The Scent Of Soap Making Returns To Aleppo ↩︎