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Perfumery in Ancient Greece (Mycenae)

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This is from an exhibition in Athens.

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The recipe:

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The scent is divine.

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A Greek company named Korres, I'm sure some of you know the company, used the recipe to made the perfume.

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Yes, we even had perfumes thousands of years ago!
 
It is interesting that some perfumes were designed to cover up the natural aromas of the human body and others are designed to accentuate those same aromas. In the animal world, scents play an important part in social interaction. Although human noses are not nearly as adept at analyzing scents as some animals, scent has played an important role in human interactions for millennia.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Very VERY cool, and thanks for posting!

Just finished Will Durant's "Life of Greece," so it's appreciated!


AA
 
Apparently, when tombs were raided in the ancient world the first things to be stolen were the perfumes and unguents.

That is not surprising. In the Christmas story, we find the Wise Men bringing gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. It is an indication that the fragrances were valued as highly as gold. Perfumes and resins have been used since ancient times in religious rituals, including burial. The same can be said today. Natural Ambergris, Oud, and Oris are perfume ingredients that are more expensive per kg than gold. That is why most shaving products include synthetic versions.

BTW: According to YouTube, the most expensive perfume in the world is DKNY Golden Delicious Million $ Fragrance Bottle. It costs $1 Million per ounce, but the diamond studded bottle is a significant portion of the cost.
 
That is not surprising. In the Christmas story, we find the Wise Men bringing gifts of Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh. It is an indication that the fragrances were valued as highly as gold. Perfumes and resins have been used since ancient times in religious rituals, including burial. The same can be said today. Natural Ambergris, Oud, and Oris are perfume ingredients that are more expensive per kg than gold. That is why most shaving products include synthetic versions.

BTW: According to YouTube, the most expensive perfume in the world is DKNY Golden Delicious Million $ Fragrance Bottle. It costs $1 Million per ounce, but the diamond studded bottle is a significant portion of the cost.
+1 -
I seem to remember learning that after death, the liquefied organs of some Pharaohs were mixed in with perfumes, which would make them even more valuable for religious ritual and 'magic'. Charmingly explained by Dustin Hoffman from 0.43 onward.
 
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