Sacred Luxuries: The Culture of Truth

By Lise Manniche

The art of modern fragrance-making owes much to practices developed in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians attached great importance to perfumes and cosmetics, which men and women wore to make themselves attractive and alluring, to restore vitality and good health, and as a means of venerating the gods and of negotiating a passage to the realm of the hereafter. In this lavishly illustrated, oversized book, Lise Manniche looks at the role played by scents and cosmetics in ancient Egyptian society and discusses their preparation--in some cases providing actual recipes.Manniche details three categories of ingredients used by the Egyptians to make fragrances: plants, including cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, and mint; gums and resins, particularly myrrh and frankincense; and oils and fats ranging from almond oil to ox fat. In order for a scent] to achieve fame, Manniche writes, the finished product had to have an aura of rarity, of exclusiveness, and of the divine. The more exotic the ingredients, the more valued the commodity; the more exquisite its presentation, the greater the appeal. In this way, the visual and olfactory arts combined to make small objects of the greatest luxury appreciated not only in Egypt, but all over the ancient world.Drawing on Arabic and other sources, Manniche explores the application of perfumes in ritual and on social occasions, and examines the erotic connotations of scent in Egyptian art and poetry. Fragrant remedies, the central element in ancient medicine, are fully discussed. Finally, she investigates the widespread use of cosmetics, as revealed in wall paintings and painted sculptures. The book features a hundred color photographs, taken by Werner Forman, of objects in the world's most celebrated museum collections. Exquisite cosmetic containers in the form of birds and animals, reliefs representing kings and priests perfuming images of deities, and lifelike mummy masks displaying make-up are among the images represented.During the past decade, the West has seen a revival of traditional skills, particularly in the areas of spirituality and healing. This stunning book introduces an abundance of once highly prized skills to be reacquired and ancient products to be sampled anew.

--Denise M. Doxey, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Religious Studies Review, Vol. 27, No. 2, April 2001 "Library Journal"

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801437202
• ISBN13: 9780801437205
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Cornell University Press
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 9.7" x 10.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A delightful Ancient Egyptian aromatherapy primer

This exceeded my expectations. Incredibly beautiful photographs thanks to Werner Forman. Ancient recipes from the Pharoahs and goddesses temples, myths, legends and Egyptian herbalism. Lise Manniche digs deep to find the original use for many essential oils that are in use today. She sticks with reputable research rather than presenting erroneous information yet the tone is lively and engaging. This book serves as an inspiration and will undoubtably make the reader want to know more about this fascinating era.

Very informative and interesting

The author did a wonderful job of covering the use of essential oil (perfumes) and botanicals in ancient Egypt (and at times other areas) from a archaeological standpoint. Many of the well known ancient perfume recipes are included and it is interesting to see how Pliny and others suggested medicinal use. I will say however people wishing Aromatherapy content, as the title denotes, will be very disappointed as there really is none. Lack of training in herbology, Aromatherapy or even botany also serves to limit the authors grasp and ability to expound. Altogether I feel the book is a great reference work and well researched.

A perfumer's delight!

Anything by Manniche about ancient Egyptian herbs, plants or perfumes is a treat! If you have an interest in the perfumes used in the ancient world - what was used, where they came from, the hows and whys - you must get this book. Includes reconstructed recipes for the most famous perfumes in the ancient world - a real eye-opener. Accompanied by gorgeous illustrations. Well worth the price.