Perfume in History
Aromatic oils and resins played important roles in many ancient civilizations, for religious ceremonies, funeral rites and medicinal uses as well as being valued for their cosmetic use. One royal Egyptian tomb was found to contain fragrant blends of plant oils and resins dating back over 3000 years.
The first recorded industrial strike occurred in 1165BC, during the reign of the Egyptian pharoah Ramses II, when supplies of perfumed oils and ointments to tomb builders in the Valley of the Kings were interrupted.
Cleopatra sponsored the operation of "beauty farms" with aromatic workshops where perfumes were created for royal use and for export and trade with Rome and other countries where Egyptian perfume was highly valued. Great care and attention was paid to quality and consistency of both the products and packaging.
During Julius Caesar's triumphal parades, perfume bottles were thrown into the crowds to symbolise his victories in Egypt.
The science of distillation was first used by the Arabs, and not introduced into perfumery until the 9th century AD.
The world's oldest known perfumery is claimed to have been found by Italian archaeologists on the island of Cyprus. The site has been dated at approximately 4000 years old. Among the artifacts are remnants of perfume bottles, and analysis by scietists have so far identified 14 different perfumes, blended from at least 10 different essences. Ingredients used include cinnamon, laurel, myrtle, anise and bergamot, often in an olive oil base.
The most famous gift of perfume was given on the first Christmas, when the Bible recounts the giving of frankincense and myrrh to the new-born Christ-child.
