Perfume History

The word perfume comes from the Latin phrase, “per” meaning “through” and “fumus” meaning smoke.”  The French later gave the name parfum to the sweet smells that flow through the air when burning incense.  There are few periods of history that have not been influenced by perfume. 

The first form of perfume was incense.  It was first discovered by the Mesopotamians about 4,000 years ago.  Ancient cultures burned many kinds of resins, bums and woods at their religious ceremonies.  They often soaked the fragrant woods and resins in water and oil, and rubbed their bodies with the liquid.  They also embalmed the dead with these perfumes. 

Frankincense is probably still the best known of the plants alluded to in the Bible.  Burning incense was the priviledge of priests in the earliest civilization.  The custom is still in use today in Catholic and High Episcopal Churches. (more…)