A recent study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology by Cecilie Brøns revealed that ancient Greco-Roman sculptures were impregnated with perfumes and aromatic substances, an aspect that was little explored. The research shows that these sculptures were not only polychromed and adorned with textiles and jewelry but also enriched with fragrances.
Brøns's findings propose a new way of understanding classical art, challenging the traditional perception of sculpture as a purely visual art form, National Geographic Historia notes. Her study is based on a series of classical texts that describe the method of perfuming imposing statues representing gods and prominent personalities.
For instance, the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero refers to the custom of anointing the statue of Artemis in the ancient city of Segesta with perfumes. In the sanctuary of Delos, inscribed texts detail the costs and composition of the perfumes used for the kosmesis (adornment) of the statues of Artemis and Hera, which included olive oil, beeswax, sodium carbonate (natron), and rose fragrances.
The poet Callimachus of Cyrene describes that the statue of Berenice II, the queen of Egypt, was anointed with perfumes, noting that it was "moist with perfume," Enikos reports. Kosmesis involved the use of fabrics, jewelry, and perfumes on the statues, reinforcing the idea that these divine images were treated as living beings.
Pausanias narrates that the Statue of Zeus at Olympia was anointed with olive oil to protect its ivory from the humid climate. Additionally, Vitruvius and Pliny the Elder mention in their writings the use of Pontic wax and special oils to prevent the discoloration of the sculptures and to impart their characteristic polishing.
The perfuming of the sculptures was conducted with specific techniques, such as ganosis, which involved applying waxes and oils to preserve and protect the surface of the statues. Although time erased most of the perfumes used in antiquity, some traces still survive in certain cases.
In the case of the portrait of Queen Berenice II, researchers were able to identify remains of beeswax, suggesting that the statue may have undergone a perfume bath. The use of perfumes in ancient art had not only a decorative purpose but was part of a symbolic and religious language that endowed sculptures with a more tangible presence.
Perfumes were used not only for the embellishment of sculptures but also served a ritual function, and dressing and perfuming the statues was considered a religious ritual of great importance. The practice of perfuming sculptures is documented in literary and epigraphic texts, suggesting that the sensory experience of ancient spectators was much richer than previously thought.
In ancient Greece and Rome, people honored the gods with exotic perfumes and aromatic oils, labrujulaverde.com states. Facilities have been discovered in Delos that suggest the local production of perfumes, verifying that fragrances were used in rituals on the island. The practice of kosmesis supports the theory that these divine images received human treatment, which explains why certain statues received special veneration and why their preservation and decoration were considered acts indicative of devotion.
Festivals such as the Floralia in Rome included the decoration of sculptures with garlands made from flowers and violets, adding an olfactory dimension and filling the atmosphere with a festive fragrance. The fact that these sculptures were designed with the purpose of olfactory pleasure suggests that classical art aimed for a richer and more complex multisensory experience.
Traditionally, Greco-Roman statues were studied from a formalist perspective, focusing on technique and visual composition. The sensory dimension of perfumes and fragrances could explain why some religious images were so venerated, as the resulting olfactory sensations and perceptions were considered a mystical experience.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.