The antient artform of perfume bottles spread across the Middle East before arriving in Greece and Rome. In Rome, perfumes were believed to possess medicinal properties. The creation of ‘aryballos’, a small narrow-necked spherical vase made the direct application of creams and oils on the skin possible and very popular in the Roman Baths. From the sixth century BC onwards, Bottle were shaped like animals, mermaids, and busts of the Gods.
The technique of glass-blowing was invented in Syria in the first century BC. It would later become an elevated artform in Venice were glass-blowers produced vials and ampoules to hould perfume.
During the Middle Ages, people became afraid of dringking water for fear of an epidemic. So they took to wearing decorative jewellery that caontained protective elixirs for medicinal use.
It was the Islamic World that kept the art of perfumery and perfume bottles alive thanks to the flourishing spice trade and improvements in techniques of distillatio. Later, the faces and wigs at the court of Louis XIV were fragrance with powders and perfumes. Odours from poor tanning methods required heavy perfumes to hide the odours.
Post time: Jun-14-2023