For centuries, scientists have known that the white marble statues from ancient Greece and Rome were once painted with rich colors. But now, a new study has revealed that some were scented as well.
The discovery was made by Cecilie Brons, an archaeologist and curator at the Copenhagen Museum of Glyptotek, when she was going through the works of Roman writers like Cicero and examining the inscriptions on ancient Greek temples.
“Perfume and perfumed oils are often mentioned as part of the ‘decoration’ that was applied to religious cult statues in antiquity,” Brons said.
Perfumes were not just for living human bodies—they were an important decorative element, particularly for sculptures depicting deities.
According to sources from Cicero, the statue of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, the forest, and animals in Greek mythology, located in the Sicilian city of Segesta, was anointed with aromatic ointment and fragrant oils as part of ritual activities.
In addition, the Sanctuary of Delos in Greece contains inscriptions that describe the costs and ingredients for perfumes that were used to maintain statues. The list included olive oil, beeswax, and rose-scented perfumes.
Furthermore, the poet Callimachus refers to fragrances in an account of a statue depicting Queen Berenice II of Egypt, explaining how it was “moist with perfume.” This indicates that the tradition was not restricted to divine figures. It was also applied to royal and elite figures.
Ancient sculptors and attendants practiced different techniques to preserve the scents. For one, they mixed waxes and oils together and then spread them on statues in a technique called ganosis.
Another documented practice was kosmesis, which went beyond perfuming. It involved draping statues in fine fabrics and adorning them with precious jewels.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
Per the Greek geographer Pausanias, olive oil was regularly applied to the famous Statue of Zeus at Olympia to protect the ivory from the humid climate.
The original scents of these perfumes have faded a long time ago, but scientific examination has found concrete evidence to support historical records.
For example, in Delos, the remains of facilities were discovered that suggest perfumes were produced locally. Traces of beeswax were also detected on the portrait of Queen Berenice II, implying that it had once been doused in perfume.
The research challenges the idea that classical sculptures are just for looking at. They are not just a visual art form, but they serve as an olfactory experience as well.
Overall, the discovery allows experts to broaden their knowledge of how perfumes were used in ancient times and rethink how ancient people connected with art. Adding an olfactory dimension could provide a reason as to why some religious images were so highly revered.
The details of the new study were published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology.
More About:News
