| Perfume History: synopsis | |||||||
| Schumer civilization 130 century B.C. | First records of fragrance date back to ancient Schumer civilization, which flourished in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) some 15,000 years ago. Clay tablets from that era depict ancient priests burning scented plants and oils in religious ceremonies and celebrations. "Epic of Gilgamesh" - one of the oldest known ancient texts, tells about legendary king of Ur burning myrrh to put gods and goddesses into a pleasant mood. The great sun-god Shamash who would descend down to earth from heavens in the fiery carriage was greeted by supreme priest with scented oil comprised of cedar, myrrh, cypress and frankincense. | ||||||
| Indus civilization 100 century B.C. | At the same time in Indus Valley another great civilization, some say even older than Egyptian, left undisputed evidence of perfume use by its people. In Vedic texts, like Rig Veda, Mahabharata and Ramayana originated around 10, 000BC it is common for gods and humans alike to rub themselves with scented oils and burn incense for a "pleasant smell and relaxation of the body". | ||||||
| Perfumes & Egyptian Pharaohs 3000 B.C. | Perfumes were found in tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. The hieroglyphs from writings found inside pyramids tell us how the fragrance played an important role in daily lives of ancient Egyptians. At the sacred city of Saqqarah, Imhotep - chief minister of pharaoh Djoser, later raised to the status of god, was burning resins in the morning, myrrh at noon and kyphi (the most famous Egyptian fragrance composed of calamus, henna, spikenard, frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon and cypress known for inducing hypnotic states) at sunset to please the supreme god Amon-Ra. | ||||||
| Fragrances in Ancient Greece; 500 B.C. | The ancient Greek world was also rich in fragrance. All Greek cities-states had hundreds of perfumers shops set up in them. Trade was heavy in fragrant herbs such as marjoram, lily, thyme, sage, anise, rose and iris, infused into olive, almond, castor and linseed oils to make thick unguents. Alexander the Grate after his conquest of Asia learned to love perfumes and organized frequent expeditions in search of the new and exotic scents. | ||||||
| Great Persian Empire 500 B.C. | In the ceremonial capital Persepolis King Darius the Great of Persian Empire (522-486 B.C.) recorded to give merchants who were trading in "aromatic products" special treatment and lightened taxation burden. | ||||||
| Chinese distillation of essential oils 200 B.C. | Distillation of essential oils and use of aromatics also progressed in the Far East. First Grate Emperor of China - Shi Huang (246-210 BC) made fragrance part of daily lives of his subjects. By his decree all public officials were suppose to wear fragrances while attending to their duties. Huge statues of gods were carved from camphor wood and placed in public view. Spectators at dances and other ceremonies could expect to be pelted with perfumed sachets. | ||||||
| Fragrances in Roman Empire 100 B.C. | In Roman Empire fragrances were considered aphrodisiacs - Gaius Julius Caesar (100-44 BC) noted to say that it sparks "Fire of Love" in every human. Ancient Romans indulged in the practice of applying perfume three times a day. By the 1st century ad, Rome was going through about 2,800 tons of imported frankincense and 550 tons of myrrh per year. The actual word "Perfume" comes from the Latin phrase "Per fumum" which literary means "through smoke" bringing us back to the first known use of aromas - burning of incense. Word "Fragrance" also traces its route to Latin word "Fragro" translated "to smell". | ||||||
| The Book of Exodus & ancient fragrances | In Old Testament of the Bible there is a frequent mention of fragrance use throughout ancient world. The book of Exodus provides the recipe for the holy anointing oil given to Moses for the initiation of priests: myrrh, cinnamon and calamus, mixed with olive oil. | ||||||
| Perfumes in Carthagen 100 A.D. | The Roman historian Pliny, author of the impressive 1st-century AD Natural History, says Carthage was built around fragrance trade and Phoenicians were particularly famous for they knowledge and expertise in perfumes and incenses. | ||||||
| First Perfumer in Royal Court 4th century A.D. | Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II (408-450 AD) was the first to appoint full-time Royal Court perfumer. This position was permanent and involved supply of perfumes to Emperor himself, Royal Family and members of the Royal Court. The perfumer responsibility was to seek-out new and exotic scents on the huge Constantinople market and to be on look-out for new trends in the industry from other parts of the world. A price for some fragrances was reaching as high as triple of they weight in gold. | ||||||
| Arabian Perfume Trading 7th century A.D. | Arabs inherited most of the ancient perfumery knowledge. The development of distillation in the 7th century brought the production of essential oils and scented waters to the new level. The trade in perfumes was so heavy that it accounted up-to 20% of empires total trade revenue. Arab merchants were reaching the furthest places and along with other wonders of Asia they were bringing fragrances, essential oils, incense, aromatic moisturizers and powders. Mohammed himself is said to have loved children, women and fragrances above else. | ||||||
| Perfumes in civilization of Maya, Inca and Aztec 15th century A.D. | Meanwhile, across the ocean, in central and south America another grate civilizations of Maya, Inca and Aztec also used fragrances and incense with sophistication and experience. Like the Egyptians they too manufactured ornate vessels in which to burn it. Injured Aztecs were massaged with scented salves in the sweat lodges. Archaeologists find evidence of Incas massage ointments made of valerian and other herbs thickened with seaweed. | ||||||
| Perfumes in Western Europe 17th century A.D. | Fragrances and aromas spread to Europe from conquered by Berbers Spain. Crusades made Europeans even more aware of perfumery. By the Middle Ages trade in spices from East was hugely important in Western Europe. The spices were used in perfumes, medicine and in food. By 1656 the guild of glove and perfume-makers was established in France. In Royal Court of Great Britain women would put fragranced sponges under they clothes. By 17 century Europe was swept away by perfumes. It was common for noble women to create their own fragrances, by experimenting with different aromas. Louis 14th of France was considering restricting the use of perfumes because he felt jealous that his subjects loved fragrances more then him. When the Americas were discovered perfume industry received its final needed boost to stay a part of daily life's of the Europeans forever. Balsam of Peru and Tolu, American cedar, sassafras and vanilla immediately found loyal consumers in Europe. The Royal Perfumer of Napoleon Bonaparte was Giovanni Maria Farina who was a nephew of famous Gian Paolo Feminis - creator of first cologne in 1709 "Aqua Admirabilis". | ||||||
| It is recorded that Napoleon was using sixty bottles of double extract of jasmine and eight quarts of violet cologne every month. Royal Perfumer of Napoleon Bonaparte was Giovanni Maria Farina who was a nephew of famous Gian Paolo Feminis - creator of first cologne in 1709 "Aqua Admirabilis". | |||||||
| Modern perfume industry 20th century A.D. | In 19 century alchemy gave way to chemistry and in 1868 first synthetic fragrance was created. After Word War 1 women gained more independence both socially and financially. This enabled them to acquire a disposable income part of which was set aside for perfumes and cosmetics. This made fragrance industry into a multi-billion dollar business. It includes much more than retail sales of fragrances. Related industries such as chemical companies started to supply the chemicals of which fragrances are made from. Marketing and advertising are used to create and promote the image of a fragrance. Virtually every aspect of our lives is impacted by the fragrance industry. Soaps have a pleasant scent, laundry smells fresh for days. Modern scientist are now formulating smells that do not even exist, to be more precise these smells only exist in out brains, associated with events like sun set, ocean spray, fresh air. | ||||||
| Perfume organ | See under 'Organ' | ||||||
| Perfume Percentages | Link to chart | ||||||
| Perfume presentation | Generic marketing term used in the commercial fragrance industry since the late 1880's: a merchandising phrase to describe a particular perfume bottle more than likely in a special labelled and decorated box | ||||||
| Perfumers | In 1860 there were 197 perfumer registered in Paris | ||||||
| Perfumery Exhibition | of Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, UK; believed to be the only one in Europe (2000) | ||||||
| Perfumizer | The name given by DeVilbis to their line of scent atomizers | ||||||
| Pettitgrain | The bitter orange tree citrus aurantium variation amara
is the source of three important perfume oils – neroli and bitter
orange oil obtained from the flowers, while pettitgrain in derived from
the leaves and twigs; both by steam-distillation. It is also known as
citrus bigaradia and the oil as pettitgrain bigarde. In Britain the orange became known as Seville orange as so much was harvested in Spain; main ingredient for marmalade. |
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| Pheromones | From the Greek word ‘to carry excitement’: ‘phero’ I carry and ‘hormone’ to excite. Chemical substance secreted by an animals to produce a response by other members of the same species, opposite sex; simulants. In recent years research into sexual attractants, the Human Vero Nomasal Organs (VNO), located in the nasal cavity has indicated that that males and females respond to different chemicals; due to modern life-style; washing and showering and use of deodorants, pheromones in humans are reduced; now replaced by 'pheromone enhanced fragrances'. | ||||||
| Phials (vials) | Sample glass tubes of fragrances, vary in size from 1ml to 5ml in volume | ||||||
| Pillar fragrance | A stand-alone fragrance meant to hold up the brand, that is, it is not a flanker (refer). | ||||||
| Pikaki | A form of jasmine, from the genus jasminum sambac, grown in Hawaii and used for making leis. Also known as Arabian jasmine, and widely used to make jasmine tea. | ||||||
| Pimento | Also called ‘all-spice’ as its flavour combines elements of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; the aromatic oil is extracted from the berries | ||||||
| Pine | The essential oil is steam-distilled from the needles and young buds of the pinus sylvestris tree, known in English as the Scots pine. | ||||||
| Pineapple | Are bromeliads from the genus annas comosus; native to the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the America’s although now widely cultivated. It is possible to distil the fruit juice and capture the aroma but perfumers are more than likely to use synthetic versions. | ||||||
| Pineapple | French = ananas; German = Ananas | ||||||
| Pink Jasmine | Of the genus jasminum polyanthum, a flowering shrub from West China | ||||||
| Pivoine | French for prony | ||||||
| Piquè work | A method of decorating tortoiseshell with gold or silver cut into a design that was then heated and embedded in the surface: also refers to as an inlay | ||||||
| Pissasphlat | A resin blended with aromatics such as cassia and myrrh, used by the Ancient Egyptians for embalming. | ||||||
| Plum | Of the genus prunus domestica; probably originated in central Europe. A dupe; has a single seed or kernel surrounded by sweet and fragrant pulp; the essential oil can be obtained from the plum juice but the process is laborious, plum notes are always synthetic. | ||||||
| Plumeria | Refer to Frangipani. | ||||||
| Pochoir | A specialist artist | ||||||
| Poivre | French for pepper. | ||||||
| Polyfactioning | Developed by Chanel in 2006; a three-stage ‘stripping’ process that isolates a small core from thousands of molecules. This core can then be tailored to isolate and refine a plant’s main active ingredient. Chanel says the method allows the creation of a customised active or PFA (PolyFractioning Active). | ||||||
| Pomade | A mixture of animal fat and extracted blossom oil obtained in the enfleurage process. This perfume was commonly used for the hair | ||||||
| Pomarose | A Givaudan molecule; described as having a rich fruity 'rose and apple pie' aroma. | ||||||
| Pomander | Originated in Oriental and Arab cultures, spread to Europe in 6th century, commonly used from 12th to 18th century; evolved along with rosariessince both were made from heated resins mixed with herbs and spices. The pomander was believed to provide personal protection against disease, especially the plague. Usually pomanders had ambergris components; hence Apple of Amber = pomander | ||||||
| Pot-Pourri | Developed in medieval France | ||||||
| Pouncet box | A small box with a perforated lift-off lid for fragrances; also a box for sprinkling pounce (powder) used for preparing a writing surface | ||||||
| pour le mouchoir | French term; handkerchief fragrances; mostly launched pre 1900 | ||||||
| Powdery notes | Most commonly found in the base of a fragrance, these notes are produced by a blend of long-lasting, mossy, woody, sweet and crystalline elements. | ||||||
| Prastara | A Polish eau de cologne with a complex almost mythical background where monks, secret formulas and royal clients were the main characters. Claims it was produced around 1682. Still produced today in various qualities | ||||||
| Preservative | A chemical agent sometimes added by perfumers to their compositions to delay oxidization | ||||||
| Priprioca | A plant only found in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest; has a highly distinctive wood-and-spice aroma; has been used by indigenous people for many centuries; the essential oils derived from its roots by chemical extraction; has been introduced to the international fragrance market by Beraca Ingredients, Givaudan and Natura . | ||||||
| Prism | Specific to cut-glass, prism-cutting is pattern or design of deep parallel V-grooves that reflect light | ||||||
| Product line | Or 'Line'; a concept first employed by Oriza LeGrand in 1886; which included not only a fragrance but complimentary toiletry items | ||||||
| Profumego | Are ornamental copper or bronze balls containing incense paste and were used first in Italy during the Renaissance period: spread through Europe later. | ||||||
| Provenance | A term used by art historians, auction houses and museums to identify an object's origin establishes its authenticity | ||||||
| Prunus | see peaches | ||||||
| pdt | parfum de toilette | ||||||
| Pungent | A very strong smell; see Seahorse Pungent | ||||||
| Putti | A small model of an angel - often on stopper | ||||||
| Pyxis | A small cosmetic/fragrance container made around the 3rd century (Italy) | ||||||
| Quarzazate | The name of a fragrance by Comme des Garçons : taken from the town at the foot of the Atlas mountains in southern Morocco. The name translates as "the door to the desert". Thetown is both a popular base for tourists entering the Sahara desert and the home of the largest movie studio in world e.g. parts of Lawrence of Arabia, Alexander, and Star Wars were filmed there. | ||||||
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Perfume Intelligence - The Encyclopaedia of Perfume Where you are: Volume Glossary Chapter 2: Incense - Ylang Page 5
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