The Egyptian Museum in Cairo, in collaboration with Labex ArcHiMedE (Laboratoire d'Excellence en Archéologie, Histoire et Mémoire des Écritures) and Paul-Valery University in Montpellier, is hosting a new exhibition of the highest historical and cultural value entitled “Perfumes of Ancient Egypt Through Ages.”, an immersive sensory journey opened to the public on December 1, 2024 that will run until February 28, 2025.

The art of perfumery in Ancient Egypt, with the help of virtual reality, is unveiled by exploring the role that perfumes, oils and essences played in the daily life of the Egyptians, as well as in their religious rituals and beauty practices.

The exhibition, opens with an historical overview of the use of perfumes in ancient Egypt, offering a unique exploration of the traditions that made perfumery such a fine art. Eighty objects, preserved at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and the Coptic and Islamic Art Museums, illustrate the history of perfume oils, ointments, and incense from the Pharaonic era to Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Arab times.

It's a rare and valuable opportunity for researchers, professionals in the field, history lovers, enthusiasts and the curious of all ages to have a glimpse into the past.

Reconstructions through virtual reality

Visitors partake in an interesting immersive experience that combines the use of a visor, with technology designed specifically for the exhibition, capable of adding an exciting olfactory component to the virtually reconstructed scenes.

Through an evocative introduction in which one finds oneself in front of a large hearth lit on a starry desert night, one subsequently accesses three different settings. These are three scenes depicting key moments in the daily, religious and funerary life of the ancient Egyptian civilization: the first is set during an embalming process in which we see some of the raw materials used in the various stages, with particular emphasis on juniper. The second transports one to a beautiful garden where one of the most prized fragrant oils, namely lotus oil, is produced; finally, one walks inside a wonderful Egyptian temple in which one witnesses a kyphi offering dedicated to Osiris. The opportunity to actually smell the scents in question makes for a decidedly interesting and engaging experience.

Geography of Aromatic Substances.

Archaeological studies and textual sources have shown that to produce perfumes, exotic raw materials were used on a massive scale, the supply of which mostly came from neighboring lands. A very important source of valuable materials was the famous and mysterious Land of Punt. From this area, the location of which is still uncertain, the Egyptians imported gold, frankincense, myrrh trees for replanting back home, and much more. Recent studies locate it in the southeastern part of the Red Sea, more specifically in the western part of Yemen.

Frankincense is less mentioned in texts concerning Pharaonic expeditions to the land of Punt; it is thought to have mostly come from Dhofar, a region in Oman. As for myrrh, on the other hand, valuable information has emerged from the texts indicating Byblos as the source, as early as the Old Kingdom.

Intrigued by the provenance of these fragrant treasures, I had the opportunity to ask a few questions to the scientific curator of the exhibition, who, in speaking about the land of Punt, specified that:

Raw Materials and Production

A very interesting aspect of the exhibition is the focus on perfume production techniques. The Egyptians were masters at extracting essences from flowers, plants and resins. The exhibit presents various tools used to produce oils and ointments, which testify to the advanced level of botanical knowledge. Since distillation was not yet known, as far as production techniques were concerned, two methods were used: enfleurage and maceration. Among the most popular fragrances of the time were those derived from lotus, myrrh, frankincense and cinnamon, some of which have been reproduced, thanks to the use of technology, thus making it possible to recreate the original olfactory sensations. A truly exciting experience.

In Ancient Egypt, it was customary for temples and private homes to have gardens with ponds where sycamore trees flourished along with fruit trees, date palms, figs, pomegranates, carobs, moringa and vines.

The lotus flower was cultivated, as well as papyrus, poppy and mandrakes, all of which were used as raw materials for making ointments and fragrant oils.

Sources dating back to the Fifth and Sixth Dynasties showed that there were professional figures who were exclusively involved in the production of ointments and perfumes for the pharaohs, devoting themselves entirely to the care and well-being of the kings. These processes were organized according to complex and structured hierarchies, with a director heading an administrator, an inspector for quality control, and the technician in charge of preparations.

Religious and Funeral Uses of Perfumes

According to the Egyptians, the gods exuded intoxicating perfumes and in turn highly valued fragrances.

As early as the Old Kingdom, the god Horus was considered the holder of perfume; Shesemu, associated with the production of ointments, represented the archetypal Perfumer; Nefertem embodied the lotus flower, whose fragrance was inhaled by Ra, the Sun god, at the beginning of each new day.

Frankincense was then considered a direct emanation of the deity; the term “frankincense” in Egyptian translation, would seem to be a pun meaning “the scent of the gods.” Along with other fragrant resins, it was burned during rituals to purify the environment and create through smoke a connection between man and the divine.

Many temples had an actual production workshop, the walls of which were decorated with recipes and illustrations of sacred scents, foremost among them Kyphi, a complex mixture whose ingredients have long been the subject of study[1].

During the embalming process, one of the rituals that made Egyptian civilization so well known, scented substances such as resin and myrrh were used, as well as linseed oil, pine resin pitch, wax, bull fat, and frankincense to impregnate the wrappings. In addition, as many as seven ointments were poured directly on the head of the deceased.

Perfumes in Everyday Life.

Perfumes and ointments were routinely used by both men and women, as evidenced by numerous archaeological finds, including bottles, containers, jars, and finely manufactured objects that became true artistic masterpieces in Ancient Egypt.

The Lotus flower was a ubiquitous element in everyday life. In addition to being considered a sacred flower, it was worn as decoration, or infused in wine or beer for its known calming effects. In ancient papyri there is evidence of medical and cosmetic prescriptions incorporating scented substances, such as a Labdanum-based recipe for the prevention of white hair.

Because of its high value, frankincense played a central role in the economy and was employed in private and institutional trade.

Perfume was also widely present in Egyptian literature, as it was considered a carrier of amorous desire.

Conclusion

1 Many have been the reconstructions of the Kyphi, e.g., Sandrine Videault had replicated it for the Cairo museum see: Le kyphi, résurrection d'un parfum sacré - Le Temps