Azerbaijan's Naftalan oil spa one of a kind in globe

As the story goes…

Centuries ago a caravan with camels was passing through the arid region of north-west Azerbaijan. The trip was progressing slowly as the animals were trying to stay away from the oily lakes omnipresent throughout the area. One of the camels was in poor health so, to avoid slowing down the trip even further, the caravan’s leader decided to leave him behind. When a few months later the caravan returned to the region, they found the camel not only alive but also in an excellent shape. After keeping an eye on him for a couple of days they realized that the animal owes its health to regular baths in the dark greasy liquid from the lakes. Word of mouth spread and people started traveling to the area from far and wide in hope of finding a relief from their health troubles. With time a petroleum spa, Naftalan, was established in the region.

Some facts

Marco Polo, the Venetian explorer who traveled to the East in 1271-1291, wrote about today’s Naftalan:  a “fountain from which oil springs in great abundance … not edible but good for burning and to treat men and animals with mange, and camels with hives and ulcers”. Archeological findings in the area date to the 12th Century AD. The oil was traded by caravans throughout the Near East, and was known as far as China and India. In the Tsarist Russia the oil was used as a treatment in the Russo-Japanese War.

The healing oil

Naftalan oil, a thick, black-brown liquid with a particular, aromatic odor, is unique to Azerbaijan and forms in the deep layers of the earth beneath the plains of Naftalan. It has a complex chemical composition and is very resinous, a little sour, without paraffin oil, and contains almost no light fractions such as gasoline, kerosene, naphtha. For centuries it was used as an ointment to heal skin conditions and provided relief to people with such problems as eczema, psoriasis and even arthritis. Rich in physiologically active components, Naftalan oil is known to improve the skin’s ability to regenerate itself and absorb more nutrients and oxygen. It also stimulates the collagen and elastin production of the skin cells.

Naftalan today

During the Soviet era, Naftalan’s famous crude oil baths used to draw tourists from all over the Soviet Union, and at the height of their popularity the spas had 75,000 visitors a year.

The collapse of the USSR and the Karabakh War almost ruined the industry but today the resort is undergoing a revival. The old spa center, which is currently used chiefly as a dormitory for the war refugees, has been replaced with modern hotels and treatment facilities.

Treatments

The most popular treatment at Naftalan is the crude oil bath. Patients dip their bodies in 35 gallons of crude oil, at a temperature of 40 degrees for about 10 minutes per day. Other treatments are also available, for example the resin from the crude oil is extracted and painted on the patient’s limbs, helping the nervous and blood system and easing joint pain.


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