History of perfumery - Greece

The ancient Greeks partially borrowed knowledge about fragrances from Egyptians... And although in the fragrant world they were not pioneers, they surpassed the Egyptians in composing complex compositions, mixing flower oils and various spices, balms and gums.

The ancient Greeks used fragrant aromas not only for erotic and hygienic purposes, but also for magical purposes. Like many other phenomena and creatures of nature, the Greeks attributed divine origin to fragrances. Fragrant substances have become an integral part of rituals, accompanied by the burning of fragrant incense.

The burial ritual was especially filled with aromatic substances. The deceased were wrapped in a shroud saturated with aromas, and buried along with precious vessels filled with odorous plants, which were more often than others a rose, a lily, or a violet.

In Greek temples, priestesses burned aromas for immersion in trans, for which they used laurel leaves. From the smoke of incense, a magic circle was created in which the priestesses divined the future. In the 7th century BC. in Greece there was a market for fragrances, large at that time, hundreds of perfumers opened shops selling their fragrant plants. They especially loved rose, iris, lily, marjoram, anise, sage, caraway.

For the preparation of cosmetic ointments, these plants were mixed with olive, nut or castor oils. It was the Greeks who first began to add spices and spices to perfume compositions, without which not a single fragrance from the "eastern" group can do today.

They were sold in pretty little ceramic jars. Amazing ceramic vases in the shape of a human head, miniature busts of gods, figurines of animals, etc. have been found in archaeological excavations.

Alexander the Great, having defeated the Persian king Darius, entered his tent, contemptuously discarded the box with priceless incense. But he soon appreciated them, and, conquering the countries of Asia, simultaneously studied fragrant aromas. Alexander sent his ambassadors to Yemen and Oman to find recipes for Arabian incense that he especially liked.

Having once thrown away Darius's precious box, now he himself used aromas for body and burning. And, in addition, Alexander brought many plants to Athens to his former fellow philosopher and naturalist Theophrastus to establish a botanical garden. Thanks to this, from the works of Theophrastus, mankind learned how to mix and store odorous substances, how they affect the mind and senses, how to use them and for what purposes.

The ancient Greeks sang the cult of beauty and body hygiene, and therefore widely used incense in aromatic baths, massage, and also in medicine. After taking a bath, as well as before and after eating, it was considered a necessary rule to cover your body with scented oils, not only for hygiene purposes, but also for pleasure. Hippocrates recommended many medicines based on mallow, sage, cumin, rose, anise, coriander, garlic, various resins, including frankincense, myrrh and styrax. All these substances later occupied an important place in every system of ancient medicine.

During celebrations and feasts, guests were presented with garlands of flowers, fragrant rubbing, and bouquets of flowers were selected so that their fragrance would avoid intoxication. Rose and levkoe oils were highly prized.

Since the development of new trade routes, the Greeks began to import backgammon, ginger, palmarosa from Africa and Southeast Asia, camphor from China, and pepper and sandalwood from India. And once imported myrtle and cistus from Yemen, began to be brought from Persia, and then grown in the Mediterranean. But as always, rose, daffodil, saffron, oakmoss, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, costus, backgammon and aloe were in great demand.It was from these components that expensive ointments were made.

Since the 4th century BC in Greece, heavier aromas appeared, such as myrrh, benzoin gum, sandalwood and substances of animal origin: musk, civet, castoreum, amber.

The smell of ancient Hellas is the smell of olive groves, mixed with fragrant incense and the smell of the sea air. The Greeks surprised foreign guests with their bliss and luxury. The inhabitants of Hellas spent their fortunes to acquire new and new fragrances, and the state was dying out before our eyes, until it completely disintegrated.

The Greek sun went down. On the world stage came into its own Rome.