In ancient Egypt, appearance was highly valued. Men and women applied fragrant ointments to their skin whenever their economic status allowed. But what did perfume mean to this civilization? How were these essences prepared? What were their uses? Which scents were most commonly used? Let's discover the history of perfume in Ancient Egypt.
For the Egyptians, the scent of things was closely linked to their divine essence. Therefore, when they applied the essence of a flower to their skin, they were placing something sacred upon it, something that gave them special power. Such was the Egyptians' respect for perfumes that they had a god dedicated to them, Nefertum, "guardian and protector of those who make perfumes and oils, protector and god of the sacred lotus. Osiris is the body of the plants, Nefertum is the soul."
How did the Egyptians prepare perfumes?
Their method of preparation is completely different from how it's done today. Distillation is used now, and perfumes are water-based, lighter in texture and aroma. In ancient Egypt, the aromatic substance was burned along with oils and/or resins over a low flame. This produced an oil that smelled like that plant or flower. That's why these perfumes are so rich, more intense, last a very long time, and keep wonderfully.
What were the uses of perfume?
Perfume was something elitist. People with high purchasing power could afford to use it daily. The women bathed in essences, applying aromatic oils repeatedly, day after day, until they erased all traces of body odor. We cannot forget the aphrodisiac and erotic power of perfume for them. Since it was considered something divine, it was essential to attend religious festivals well-perfumed to attract the attention of the gods. In depictions, women are seen placing lotus flowers on their noses or carrying incense cones on their heads. Aromatic oils were also used during mummification, and perfume bottles have been found in many tombs. What scents were most common? The most abundant seems to be lotus perfume. This flower is very abundant in the Nile, a delicate flower, with regenerative and erotic connotations that appears many times in Egyptian pictorial representations.
Divain perfumes that have the lotus flower as the main ingredient:
Do you want to know more? We invite you to watch this video.
More history about perfume in this post.
More about the history of perfume:
0 comments