The Bizarre History Of Perfume Will Make You Wrinkle Your Nose
From its roots in ancient Mesopotamia to the enduring popularity of Chanel No. 5, perfume has had a long and often bizarre history over the past 4,000 years. But it was once very different to the sweet-scented formulas that grace our dressing tables today — both in the way that it was made and the manner in which it was used.
Whale vomit
Today, we think of perfume as a heady mix of fragrances, encapsulating appealing scents such as jasmine, rose, and sandalwood. In the past, though, recipes called for anything from whale vomit to feline anal glands. And the idea of spritzing your favorite concoction on your wrists and neck is actually a relatively modern invention.
The history of perfume
From the temples of ancient Egypt to the plague hospitals of 14th-century Europe, perfume has had many different uses over the years. And everyone from Napoleon to Catherine de Medici has played a role in its success. But how did we get from the early days of fragrance to the mass industry that we see today?
The Cult of Aphrodite
Surprisingly, the earliest known example of perfume came from Cyprus over 4,000 years ago. Discovered in 2003 these fragrances were probably produced for worshippers of Aphrodite, who is supposed to have been born on the island. And along with various herbs and spices, they were scented with ingredients such as bergamot, almonds, and conifer resin.
Ancient Egypt
In other words, the perfume of early civilizations does not appear — at first glance at least — to have been all that different from the scents we enjoy today. But there have been plenty of strange detours along the way. Take, for example, the people of ancient Egypt, who had what we would regard today as some rather unpleasant ideas about fragrance.
