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Whispers from Mesopotamia and the Nile
The earliest inklings of perfume making often point towards Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. These weren’t perfumes as we know them today – think less eau de toilette, more fragrant smoke and oily pastes. Incense held profound significance. In temples across Mesopotamia, resins like frankincense and myrrh were burned, their aromatic smoke believed to carry prayers and appease the gods. Priests were often the first perfumers, meticulously blending gums, resins, and woods for sacred ceremonies. It was a way to bridge the gap between the earthly and the divine, the smoke acting as a fragrant messenger. Egypt, however, took the art of scent to a whole new level. Fragrance permeated Egyptian society, from religious rites to daily life and burial practices. The gods themselves were associated with specific scents; Ra, the sun god, was said to smell sweet. Temples featured dedicated laboratories where priests compounded complex aromatic mixtures. They created fragrant oils and unguents using techniques like maceration (soaking botanicals in oil) and enfleurage (using fat to absorb floral scents). Popular ingredients included lotus, lily, myrrh, cinnamon, cardamom, and the highly prized kyphi – a complex blend used as incense, medicine, and perfume, recipes for which were inscribed on temple walls. Perfumes weren’t just for the gods or the dead, though they played a crucial role in mummification, believed to aid the deceased’s journey to the afterlife. Living Egyptians embraced fragrance. Both men and women wore scented cones made of animal fat infused with aromatics on their heads during festivities; as the cone melted in the heat, it released its perfume, anointing the wearer. Elaborate containers made from alabaster, glass, and faience held precious scented oils and unguents, showcasing the value placed on these substances.The Scent of Kyphi
Kyphi deserves special mention. It wasn’t a single recipe but a category of complex incense perfume, with variations found in different temples and time periods. Plutarch, the Greek historian, described a sixteen-ingredient recipe including honey, wine, raisins, cyperus grass, resin, myrrh, and juniper berries, among others. Preparing kyphi was a ritual in itself, often involving prayers and specific procedures. Its scent was described as deeply relaxing and spiritual, used to purify homes, temples, and induce pleasant dreams.Greece and Rome: Perfume for the People (and the Gods)
The Greeks learned much about perfumery from the Egyptians, initially importing finished products and raw materials. However, they soon began cultivating their own aromatic plants and developing their techniques. Figures like Theophrastus, often called the “father of botany,” wrote extensively on plants and scents in his work “Concerning Odours,” detailing extraction methods and the properties of various aromatics. The Greeks associated perfumes with mythology and beauty – Aphrodite, the goddess of love, was often linked to the scent of roses and myrtle. While incense remained important for religious ceremonies, the Greeks increasingly embraced liquid perfumes and scented oils for personal use. They applied them after bathing, during symposia (drinking parties), and even scented their wine. They favoured floral notes like rose, violet, and lily, as well as spices and resins. Animal-derived scents like musk and ambergris also began to feature, adding depth and longevity, although their use was often debated due to cost and ethical considerations even then.Archaeological evidence confirms the advanced state of ancient perfumery. In Pyrgos, Cyprus, excavations revealed what is believed to be the oldest known perfume factory, dating back over 4,000 years (around 2000 BC). The site contained large storage jars, mixing bowls, stills, and perfume bottles, along with remnants of ingredients like pine, coriander, laurel, and bergamot, indicating large-scale production. This discovery highlights the sophisticated understanding and commercial aspect of fragrance creation even in the Bronze Age.The Romans, inheriting Greek culture, adopted and amplified the love for fragrances. Perfume became ubiquitous in Roman society, a symbol of luxury, status, and hygiene. Public baths, central to Roman life, always included an unctuarium – a room dedicated to scented oils and unguents. Romans perfumed everything: their bodies, hair, clothes, homes, military flags, and even pets like horses and dogs. Lavish banquets might feature cascades of flower petals released from the ceiling or scented doves flying overhead. They experimented with different forms: oils (olea), powders (diapasmata), and solid unguents (unguenta). Glassblowing, perfected by the Romans, allowed for more intricate and accessible perfume containers, replacing heavier pottery and stone vessels. Ingredients poured in from across the expanding empire – spices from the East, florals from Egypt and Greece, resins from Arabia. Key figures like Pliny the Elder documented the extensive trade in aromatics, sometimes lamenting the vast sums of money spent on these fleeting luxuries.
Innovation and Ingredients
While early methods relied heavily on oils and fats to capture scent, advancements were slowly being made. The concept of distillation, crucial for creating essential oils and alcohol-based perfumes later on, was known in rudimentary forms, though its refinement would come later, particularly in the Arab world. Roman perfumers became adept at blending complex scents, layering notes to create sophisticated fragrances. They favoured strong, potent aromas, reflecting the vibrant and often overwhelming sensory environment of Roman cities.- Common Roman Ingredients: Rose, saffron, cinnamon, balsam, quince, marjoram, costus root.
- Forms Used: Scented oils, solid perfumes (unguentum), scented powders, incense.
- Applications: Personal hygiene, religious rites, social events, flavouring wine, scenting homes and objects.
