| Perfume, much like jewelry, has been around for | | | | used to contain the cosmetic substances used to |
| most of human history and the history of | | | | decorate and enhance eyes and eyebrows. |
| perfumery is as ancient as the chronicles of | | | | Egyptian Palette |
| humanity. Narratives and artifacts abound that are | | | | Dated between 1557 and 1501 BC, the palette is |
| related to different substances and their use for | | | | made from Libyan Jasper and in the center there |
| their aroma. From the culture of the Mesopotamia | | | | is an emblem that represents Amenofis I a |
| up to the present, the art of perfumery has | | | | pharaoh of the 18th dynasty. To each side of the |
| continued to evolve. Once perfumes may have | | | | central emblem serpents, which are an Egyptian |
| been primarily used to mask odors derived from | | | | symbol of royalty, are depicted. |
| poor hygiene - at least in certain cultures which | | | | Greek Aryballos |
| viewed bathing as an unhealthy habit. But they | | | | Dated from the 6th century BC and originating in |
| clearly have long been significant enough to rate | | | | Corinth, the aryballos is a ceramic made from a |
| specialized and elaborate perfume bottles and | | | | yellowish clay. It has a geometric design of |
| containers. The variety of shapes, sizes and | | | | concentric circles which have lines joining them at |
| materials has made collecting perfume bottles a | | | | the neck. The body of the aryballos is decorated |
| fascinating hobby for many people - and even | | | | with two owls in red and black and has a floral |
| those who are not actually collectors may well | | | | motif. The owls are symbolic of Athens. |
| keep a few treasured bottle around both for their | | | | Etruscan Aryballos |
| beauty and the residual scent. | | | | Known as a screw-thread variation and having a |
| The information that follows about ancient and | | | | short neck, this container comes from what is |
| unusual perfume bottles comes mostly from the | | | | now Central Italy. Dated from the 7th-6th |
| Museu del Perfum (The Perfume Museum) in | | | | century BC , it has concentric circles painted in |
| Barcelona, Spain. The Museum has a large | | | | black on a white background. |
| collection of perfume bottles and cosmetic | | | | Leather Case |
| containers dating back to at least 5000 BC. Many | | | | A one-of-a-kind perfume bottle that came from |
| of the older items are archeological treasures and | | | | France, Leather Case is from the 18th century |
| the Museum has quite a few absolutely unique, | | | | A.D. and belonged to Marie Antoinette of France. |
| one-of-a-kind items in its collection. Here are a | | | | It is book- shaped with two glass flasks and one |
| few of the interesting items and perfume bottles | | | | small funnel. Garnet in color, it is decorated with |
| that should delight the individual who fancies | | | | the Queen's coat of arms in gold. The spine is |
| archaeological treasures or is an avid collector. | | | | inscribed in gold capital letters with "ETRENNES." |
| Egyptian Alabastron | | | | Mistakenly shown in the catalog as meaning |
| Dating from pre-dynastic Egypt (5000 - 3100 BC), | | | | "Christmas presents" the inscription actually means |
| it is cylindrical in shape and was probably primarily | | | | "New Year's gifts". |