What do duck fat, cinnamon, and lilies have in common? Keep reading to find out! The global essential oil market remains immensely popular – annual gains of over 9% are expected to continue throughout the mid-2020s. Essential oils are often used today for aromatherapy and relaxation, added to food and cleaning products, and are associated with various health benefits. The ancient Egyptians, too, were very keen in anointing their bodies with a plethora of sweet-smelling liquids. Even Tutankhamun took more than 35 elaborately carved vessels with over 350 litres of oils into his afterlife! In this blog, we’ll explore what perfumes and oils ancient Egyptians used. How did they make them? How did they store them? Bring your nose and let’s experience the sweet-smells of the Egyptian world.

Perfumes, Oils, and Personal Cleanliness

Personal cleanliness and washing oneself was of utmost importance to the ancient Egyptians. An excerpt from the Great Hymn to the Aten (Eighteenth Dynasty – 1,550-1,295 BC) reveals a glimpse of how Egyptians wished to start their day:

“As you (NS: the Aten) dispel the dark, As you cast your rays, the Two Lands (i.e., Egypt) are in festivity. Awake they stand on their feet, You have roused them; Bodies cleansed, clothed, their arms adore your appearance” (1).

– Great Hymn to the Aten (Eighteenth Dynasty)

Herodotus (II, 37) tells us that priests had to maintain an even cleaner state at all times. After all, purity in the performance of ritual in temples was paramount! While soap is a key component in our daily cleaning routines, it would have been unknown in ancient times. Egyptians used alternative solutions such as a mixture of honey, salt, and natron. In another version, the Ebers Papyrus reports the use of calcite granules.

Maintaining fresh and beautiful hair was also important. Both males and females would have worn wigs as beautiful hair was a sign of sexual attraction. We have found razors and corresponding creams. Archaeologists may even have found remnants of what appear to be a form of shampoo! There are also recipes known that deal with body odour.

Perfumes and Oils

In antiquity, Egypt’s expertise in perfumery was renown across the Mediterranean. Most famous perhaps may be a perfume from Mendes, known colloquially as “The Egyptian”. Let’s take a look at the plants, flowers, and oils available to the Egyptians.

Egypt’s diversity of flowers

Egypt’s diverse flora allowed them to use a variety of plants and flowers, but most popularly:

• White and blue water lily (often referred to as a lotus): the lily can stand for the sweat of the gods and symbolised themes of rebirth and regeneration. It featured in artistic scenes and Egyptians used vast quantities in making their perfumes (see the relief further down).
  

• Henna featured strong scents and was a popular choice for use on hands, palms, feet, and more.
• Resins such as frankincense and myrrh were popular. Craftspersons derived them from trees not native to Egypt and, thus, acquired these by trade. Both frankincense and myrrh feature famously in Egypt’s trade with the land of Punt (in particular, during the reign of Hatshepsut).
• Other herbs and spices such as cinnamon bark, thyme, and coriander added to the vast repertoire used by the Egyptians.
  

Oils are essential

Using flowers and plants for their fragrant aromas, Egyptians derived several oils as well. These played such an important role that they were among several commodities workers at Deir el-Medineh demanded in a strike – more than 3,000 years ago!

Many across Egyptian society may have used castor oil. Used not only for anointing their bodies, the oil was also a source of fuel for oil candles (especially in later times). Egyptians also used balanos and linseed oils – some even suggest they used sesame oil. Almond oil features a sweet scents and they also used olive oil. Ben oil derived from the moringa tree (also known as the horseradish tree) was sweet and odourless and does not easily become rancid.

Don’t forget about animal fats

Various fats from animals were also popular. They may have used ox tallow for their unguent cones, which guests guests wore at banquets as depicted on tombs (among other scenes). In addition to goose and duck fats, Egyptians also used fats derived from sheep and goat.

Although common today, the use of alcohol for perfuming purposes was unknown to the ancient Egyptians. Instead, craftspersons adopted many of the myriad available oils and fats in several ways for making perfume. At its simplest, they would press flowers and plants together directly. Alternatively, they saturate fats with flower perfume, or in a more elaborate technique: they would dip flowers and plants into fats, heat this mixture to at least 65º C, then cool it. It is no wonder then that perfumes and oils from Egypt were famous in antiquity.

While we know about these processes, actual remains of oils and fats have not survived well. If we look at some unguent containers in Tutankhamun’s tomb, they contained c. 90% animal fats and 10% resin. When opened, only coconut-like smells remained.

Vessels and containers for perfumes and oils

High-quality Egyptian workmanship shines through in the wide range of vases and vessels containing perfumes and oils. As many tourists to Egypt do, you may end up in a perfume shop. There, you would marvel at the exquisite handcrafted bottles in all shapes and colours, but also experience the scents they have to offer. The modern containers are a testament to the high skills needed to make them. This would have been no different in antiquity.

Tutankhamun’s unguent vases, for example, were made of calcite. Egyptians fashioned many others similar to it from other stones as well as glass, clay, faïence or even wood. In some cases, they formed the containers into the shapes of animals such as frogs and fish (see the example below). Many of these count as luxury items and the vast majority of Egyptian society would have used containers made of more common materials.

Notes

1. Lichtheim, M. 2019. Ancient Egyptian Literature. Berkeley: University of California Press – page 418.