An armony between design and beauty

From Persia to Arabia, a story of seduction, including incense and oils.

This the story of that is called “the perfume”, from the Latin “for fumum”, i.e. “through the smoke”: the bond between man and smell is among the oldest. The use fragrances originates on the day of discovery of wood and resin that burning, give off a pleasant smell. The when of perfume, then, is so far in the mists of time, but it finds itself  with historical certainty, on the areas of ancient religions where, in cases of ritual sacrifices, people burnt fragrant substances to cover the smell of blood.

PERSIA, CRADLE OF NOSE

The first to consciously use the perfume probably are the Medes, ancestors of the Persians, people-as narrated Pliny- of magicians and scientists. For them the perfume satisfies a need of hygiene and preventing epidemics and diseases. The perfume also has a metaphysical and religious significance: the smoke from wood and resin placed on the fire contributes to put humans and their gods  into communication with its upward motion.

EGYPT, SACRED AND PROFANE

In Egypt, more than 5000 years ago, the priests burnt flavors in honor of Ra, the Sun God. Above all, the scent has the duty to act, as human aspirations, through the afterlife. Emblematic of the embalming ritual: the death of Pharaoh, his body is deprived of the bowel, clean with pine oil, filled with woods such as myrrh, cassia and cedar and wrapped in bandages soaked in aromatic oils. During the time, the sacral connotation adds a profane one: perfume becomes part of daily routine cosmetic nobles,courtiers and officials. Among the sixty ingredients of kyphy, the most famous Egyptian fragrance,there are jasmine, rose, coriander, myrrh, the nard, incense… While women are satisfied with castor oil scented, those better off showing a real adoration for cinnamon, rose and jasmine. The men are no exception: after heavy ablutions, they have their body sprinkled by slaves with scented lotions and ointments.

It is the birth of a first, rudimentary fragrance industry, no doubt helped by the naval expedition of the Queen Hatshepsut to the mythical land of Punt (modern Horn of Africa), where historians say, there were myrrh, frankincense and opoponax.

By the Egyptians, the secrets of perfume manufacturing go to Hebrew slaves that, once free and come into possession of some formulas, entered the trade of aromatic products.

ANCIENT GREECE

The ancient Greeks learns the pleasure of perfume from the Asian people and soon they become good consumers. In particular, they use large amounts of oil roses, nard, marjoram, bitter almond… In Athen, the rage susinum (made of rose, myrrh, cinnamon and saffron) and crucinum are spread. In Greece, more importantly, they begin to alternate the use of spces and resins to that of flowers. Women, in particular, make a more generous and habitual use of perfume. After the bath, every part of the body is massaged with special ointments. Face is given a palm oil scented, arms an ointment of mint, leg of ivy and hair a pomade of marjoram. In Greece the custom spread to perfume the house, the banquets, the wines themselves. Used are the essence of cinnamon, sandalwood, pepper and cloves, introducted by Alexander tghe great returning from his expedition. Although retained of a divine aura, over time the smell is increaingly associated to the joy of life, pleasures, to a hedonistic vision of everyday life. For this reason, some philophers began to regard it with suspicion. The perfume is rthe cause of illutions, as Socrates wrote.

IN IMPERIAL ROME

In contact with the Egyptians and the Greeks, the Roman soldiers gradually approached to perfume, until they almost sprinkled their body with fragrant ointments every moment of public and private life. This habit also originated from the need to cover unpleasant body odors, because of poor personal hygiene. In Rome, then, the habit of scent to enhance the pleasure of good food spread. The Banquet thus became a real fusion of taste and smell. And it’s always the Roman hegemony over the years that we dwell, for the first time, that smells can have influence on mood. Just think of the flags perfumed army departing for war, which served to inspire courage in the heart of soldiers.

THE ARAB INFLUENCE

After the dissolution of  the Roman Empire, the art of perfumery knows a dark area in Europe, also discouraged by the emergence of Christianity and its austere morals. On the contrary Middle East and Asia civilizations flourish open to the enjoyment of sensual pleasures, including, of course, the art of perfumery. In addition Arabs, daring navigators, have a monopoly in the sale of herbs and spices. It is the Persian physician Avicenna to draw the method of distillation to get water from the petals of roses, especially cabbages, in the tenth century. With a simple still, he gets a fluid  in which the pure essence of the flowers is mixed with water. A non-alcoholic solution, therefore, since the Koran forbade any use of alcohol. You will need to wait until 1370 to get the formula of the first scent of alcohol with “the queen of Hungary water“, a kind of spirit in which there were distilled rosemary, verbena and rose-water.

From the Middle East the Crusaders brought spices and perfumes of harems, as well as the first, lovely spray with which to sprinkle clothes, accessories and home environments.