4. Reconstitution of ancient perfumes

The study of ancient perfumes calls on several scientific disciplines. Archaeology, of course, which, through excavations and the study of ancient texts, enables us to draw up numerous hypotheses on the raw materials and processes used, as well as on the use of perfumes. It is also necessary to involve botanists and archaeobotanists in order to identify with certainty the plants used in the manufacture of perfumes. Botanical descriptions of plant raw materials in texts and engravings are often imprecise or even confusing. What's more, some of these plants are hard to find these days, and may even be on the verge of extinction. It is therefore necessary to bring them back into cultivation. The study of manufacturing processes, the chemical composition of perfumes and their olfactory characteristics is carried out by chemists and perfumers.

These scientists have a...

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Reconstitution of ancient perfumes

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page Raw materials and processes used in Greco-Roman antiquity

Cosmetic products based on antique perfumes

Bibliography

(1) - BADIOU (L.), FRERE (D.), MEHL (V.) - Parfums et odeurs dans l'Antiquité. - Presses Universitaires de Rennes (2008).
(2) - MARINVAL (P.), MERINCHAL-VIGNE (M.-C.) - L'archéologie des odeurs. - Archeologia, 387, p. 40-44 (2002)....

Website

CNRS Image – Film Le parfum retrouvé https://images.cnrs.fr/video/2855 (page consulted on November 5, 2012)

Musée Royal de Mariemont http://www.musee-mariemont.be/ (page consulted on November 5, 2012)

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Regulations

Council Directive 76/768/EEC of 27 July 1976 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to cosmetic products (Cosmetics Directive)