balsamon

Balsamon is a historical term used in various languages to denote a resinous balm or balsam, derived in part from the Latin balsamum and the Greek balsamon. In traditional pharmacopoeias it was applied to several resinous exudates believed to have healing and soothing properties, and it is sometimes used interchangeably with balsam or balsamum.

In ancient and medieval texts, balsamon is described as a sticky exudate gathered from certain trees or shrubs, or as a compounded resin produced by mixing resins with oils or gums. It was valued as a remedy for wounds, skin inflammation, coughs, and digestive complaints, and it also served as a base for perfumes and religious anointings. Trade routes across the Levant, North Africa, and Europe carried balsamon to markets where it was sold in lumps, tears, or dissolved forms.

Today, balsamon is primarily seen as a historical or linguistic variant of the word balsam in pharmacognosy and philology. Contemporary references usually distinguish it from specific balsams such as balsam of Peru and storax, and from modern essential oils. As with many ancient resin terms, the exact botanical sources and chemical composition of substances labeled balsamon varied by region and era, leading to ambiguity in modern catalogs.

Related terms include balsam, balsam of Peru, storax, resin, and perfumery.