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Cleopatra Holding a bottle of perfume !

gyptians took pride in the beautiful con-
tainers that held their perfumes. These
perfume bottles were also things of great
Ebeauty. The containers were made from
materials such as alabaster, glass ebony and porcelain.
Some perfume bottles were made from gold and stone.
When glass first appear in Egypt around 1558 BC, it was
considered more precious than jewels.
Favorable climate conditions allowed Egypt to import
many spices and aromatics from India, such as ginger,
pepper and sandalwood. Egypt still holds a prominent
place in perfume essential oil production, responsible for
a significant portion of the world’s jasmine production.
The ancient Greeks and Romans learned about perfumes
from the Egyptians. Trade between Crete and Egypt was
healthy and symbiotic. Like the Egyptians, the most highly
regarded flower of Cretans was the lily. The rose was also
popular. Greek culture took a while to develop after that of
the Cretans. Using a variety of oil made from lilies, roses,
anise and orris root. Despite an earlier ban in the 6th cen-
tury prohibiting the use of perfumes, men and women alike
applied them lavishly, before and after baths, during the day
and on all parts of the body.

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