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Egyptians carried perfume with them
from birth until after their death. Many Egyp-
tians put perfumes in their tombs to keep their skin
silky smooth in the afterlife. Since the Egyptians
believed that the soul ascended into heaven, rela-
tives saw to it that perfume accompanied the spirit.
Urns encrusted with gold, jars of delicate pottery,
and chalcedonies filled with aromatics were placed
in the tombs. So potent were some of the oils used,
that 3,300 years after Tutankhamen’s death, a trace
of fragrance in the tightly sealed pots of unguents
could be detected when the tomb was opened. Per-
fumes were used during the embalming process
and took 40 to 70 days to complete! And of course,
powdered myrrh, cassia and other perfumes were
used in the embalming process.

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