The History of Fragrance in Ancient Egypt

March 13, 2025|Estefania Fuente

In ancient Egypt, appearance was highly valued. Men and women applied fragrant ointments to their skin whenever their economic status allowed it. But what did fragrance mean to this civilization? How did they prepare these essences? What uses did they have? What scents were the most used? Let's discover the history of fragrance in Ancient Egypt.

For the Egyptians, the aroma of things had much to do with their divine essence, so when they applied the essence of a flower on the skin they were putting something sacred on their skin, something that gave them special power. The respect Egyptians had for Fragrances was such that they had a god for it called Nefertum, “guardian and protector of those who make Fragrances and oils, protector and god of the sacred lotus. Osiris is the body of the plants, Nefertum is the soul.”

How did the Egyptians prepare Fragrances?

The preparation method has nothing to do with the current preparation method. Nowadays distillation is used and Fragrances are aqueous, lighter in texture and aroma. In ancient Egypt, the aromatic substance was burned along with oils and/or resins over low heat. This produced an oil that had the scent of that plant or flower. That is why these Fragrances are so greasy, more intense, last a very long time and are wonderfully preserved.

What were the uses of Fragrance?

Fragrance was elitist. People with high purchasing power could afford its daily use. Women bathed in essences, applied aromatic oils again and again, day after day, until they erased any body odor. We must not forget the aphrodisiac and erotic power of Fragrance for them.

Being considered something divine, it was essential to attend religious festivals well fragranced to attract the attention of the gods. In the representations, women are seen placing the lotus flower on their nose or with incense cones on their heads. Aromatic oils were also used during mummification and Fragrance bottles have been found in many tombs.

What aromas were the most common?

The most abundant seems to be the lotus Fragrance. This flower is very abundant in the Nile, a delicate flower, with regenerative and erotic connotations that appears many times in Egyptian pictorial representations.