Accounts from as early as Cleopatra's Egypt speak of caravans bearing clay jars of valuable Shea butter for cosmetic use. The funeral beds of early kings were carved in the wood of Shea trees. Shea butter's skin care and healing properties were first harnessed thousands of years ago. The history of Shea as a precious commodity can be traced back to Ancient Egypt, where Shea butter was and continues to be used to protect the hair and skin in the fierce sun and the hot dry winds of African deserts and Savannah.