The ancient Greeks knew of the calming properties of the lime tree flowers. They used the liber, the layer between the bark and the wood, to make paper, mats, and the frame for crowns and wreaths.
In Europe the bark, which contains textile fibres (that can be extracted by macerating the bark in water), was used up to the last century to make ropes for wells and ships. The leaves were used to fodder cattle and the lymph provided a sweetening agent.