Title: Perfume in History Ancient Greece
Headings: Perfume in History Ancient Greece
Perfume in History Ancient Greece
How The Greeks Used Perfume
How It Was Made
Perfume Bottles & Vessels
'Concerning Odours' by Theophrastus
Hippocrates & His Use of Perfumes

Content: They believed that wrapping bodies in perfumed shrouds would ensure their happiness in the afterlife. For marriage, it was considered a good omen to use a special fragrance on the wedding day. Perfume was also a source of hospitality to the Greeks--when guests would arrive at a home, servants would bathe their feet in perfumed oils. The ancient Greeks also practiced elaborate bathing rituals in which perfumes were very important. How It Was Made
The oldest perfumery was discovered on the island of Cyprus in 2007. The ancient Greeks enjoyed experimenting with perfume-making by incorporating different extractions and blending techniques into creating scents. They would often boil flower petals, herbs, and spices, and soak (or "infuse") the material into a "carrier" oil, such as fresh-pressed olive oil. They typically used local flowers and herbs, such as marjoram, parsley, irises, violets, and lilies; and spices like cumin and sage. They also loved to import spices, like pepper, cinnamon, cassia, and ginger from neighboring Eastern countries.