Perfumedinvites you to breathe deeply and inhale the incense burning on the altars ofthe Greeks, perfumes sprinkled on spectators in Roman amphitheaters orwafting from the robes of Persian kings, and unguents filling Egyptian tombs.Though we don't know who first burned a fragrant branch to perfume theirdwelling or rubbed an aromatic petal against their skin, evidencedemonstrates that such practices were ubiquitous by the Bronze Age.Beginning with an illustrated overview of aromatics in Mesopotamia,Persia, Egypt, Greece, and Roman Italy, acclaimed author Annette Gieseckeexplores the role they played in all aspects of daily life and details theirmajor ingredients, including balsam, frankincense, rose, myrrh, saffron, andmore. Short, vivid passages from ancient sources offer perfume recipes andintriguing anecdotes, such as the historian Herodotus's account of wingedserpents guarding frankincense trees in Arabia or Pliny the Elder's claimthat the emperor Nero burned a year's harvest of frankincense for his wife'sfuneral (after likely murdering her).With over 70 imagesdrawn from a diverse range of ancient sources and archaeological evidence, Perfumedis essential reading for anyone with an interest in plants, perfumes, as wellas other aromatics, and the rich, interrelated cultures of theMediterranean.
