Oils and Perfumes of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptians at all levels of society were extremely concerned with scent and cleanliness and used an array of aromatics and essential oils to suit all occasions, both in this life and the next. Joann Fletcher investigates the extensive evidence in artistic, literary and archaeological sources and provides a guide to various oils and perfumes favoured by the ancient Egyptians. She looks at where they came from, how they were produced and stored and at the different ways in which they were used – practical, therapeutic, social, religious and funerary. Finally she suggests a number of ways to indulge yourself in true ancient Egyptian style.
Sacred Luxuries Fragrance Aromatherapy and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt
The art of modern fragrance-making owes much to practices developed in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians attached great importance to perfumes and cosmetics, which men and women wore to make themselves attractive and alluring, to restore vitality and good health, and as a means of venerating the gods and of negotiating a passage to the realm of the hereafter. In this lavishly illustrated, oversized book, Lise Manniche looks at the role played by scents and cosmetics in ancient Egyptian society and discusses their preparation–in some cases providing actual recipes.
Bergamot Citrus Bergamia
Bergamot has a very powerful uplifting effect as well as an additional refreshing action. Bergamot also has antiseptic properties and is often used as an effective treatment for mouth and skin infections as well as sore throats. Bergamot is also commonly used to help alleviate the symptoms of bronchitis, lower fever and alleviate indigestion. Bergamot is also used as the flavouring for earl grey tea and is slightly spicy citrus oil.
Bergamot blends very well with most essences and is often used as a top note in perfumes. Bergamot is often used in Colognes much like neroli and lavender and is also used in a variety of toiletries for its refreshing and relaxing properties. Bergamot can also be used in massage but concentrations above 1% can irritate the skin and should not be used in this way.
The history of aromatherapy is a long one as the natural use of plant oils has been used for more than 6000 years. They have long been valued as healing, cleansing, mood enhancing and preservative substances alongside the fact that some have the most pleasurable fragrances. Todays modern world is now rediscovering the secrets of aromatherapy to help aid against the problems of day to day life such as stress, pollution, poor diet and tension. These problems have a strong negative impact on our health and well being and problems such as stress are quickly becoming dangerous and even fatal to some people. Aromatherapy works on the senses of smell and touch and creates a relaxing and healing atmosphere to restore the harmony and balance of our body and minds
A Brief Look at the History of Aromatherapy
The personal use of perfume was very common in Greece and Rome with evidence to this fact dating back as early as 350 AD. It was also commonplace in Ancient Egypt and many artefacts and artworks depict the various containers and methods of aromatherapy used. For example, in ancient Egypt a cone of unguent was worn on the head so that it could melt in the heat to wax and fragrance their hair and body. In Arabia around 1000 AD rose essence was first distilled and Arabia became the worlds centre for the production of perfume. Arabia imported goods from China, Egypt, India and Tibet to fuel the production of perfume and sold their goods internationally.
