The medieval Arabs imported camphor by sea from the East Indies for aromatic uses and medical uses. Medieval Arabic general-purpose dictionaries say kāfūr is "well-known".[1] Among the Latins the records begin in the late 9th century (with spelling cafora) though records are scarce until the 12th century.[3] . Another imported East Indies wood product which had both aromatic and medical uses in late medieval Europe and had Arabic word ancestry is sandalwood, from Arabic صندل sandal.[4] Ultimately, camphor is derived from the Sanskrit karpūra, referring to camphor throughout India since ancient times.[5]