A TIMELINE of SELECTED EVENTS in the HISTORY of PERFUME

20th century BCE 20th century BCE 15th century BCE 7th century BCE 3rd century BCE 2nd century BCE 1st century CE

The perfumer y Perfumes were The ancient Incense is The Charaka Arabian incense The stor y of
tablets, written created on Egyptian Eber s mentioned in the Samhita, one (commonly the three wise
in cuneiform a large scale Papyr us is Old Testament of of the ancient composed of men bringing
the Bible: “Thou
text, mention on the island estimated to ayur vedic texts, frankincense, frankincense
hast not brought
two perfume of Cypr us, as have been mentions the myrrh, jasmine, and myrrh to
me the small
maker s who evidenced by a written down; cattle of thy production of olibanum, and the baby Jesus
used myrrh, 43,500 square it contains a burnt offerings; ittar, a water- rose) makes its is written in the
calamus, and foot “perfume recipe for kapet, neither hast or oil-based way to China New Testament
other botanicals factor y” an incense thou honoured perfume made in and Japan. of the Bible.
to create unear thed by that doubled me with thy copper stills.
sacrifices. I have
fragrances by archaeologists. as a breath
not caused thee
various methods, freshener and
to ser ve with
including oil contained honey, an offering, nor
infusion. frankincense, wearied thee
mastic, pine, with incense”
cinnamon, and (Isaiah 43:23,
other aromatic King James
Ver sion).
plants.

L ACAD
B A AT I O N A L S
C
E MOL

N
R
ER
HE

H
O
INT

COURSE STUDY WORKSHEET T H E H E R B A L A C A D E M Y. C O M

ES
OF

11
ES

NC
HE

IE

B
R

A C
S
20

L
TA

ARTS &
BL
ISHED
A TIMELINE of SELECTED EVENTS in the HISTORY of PERFUME cont’d.
1st century CE 7th century CE 9th century CE 11th century CE 12th century CE 14th century CE

In Dioscorides’ De Japanese and Arab chemist Al- Avicenna, one of After ear ly Europeans begin to
Materia Medica he Chinese pomander s Kindi writes Kitāb the “father s of Christians use pomander s—
describes perfume have been found Kīmiyā al-itr Wat- modern medicine,” suppressed the small container s of
use of perfume
“balls” made dating back to this Tas’ĪĪ dāt (The Book
Tas’ is credited with the perfume—to keep
and incense in
of rose, Indian time period. These of the Chemistr y fir st distillation of the air around them
their per sonal and
spikenard, and were used, in par t, of Perfume and essential oils. religious practices clean and to avoid
myrrh. These balls to provide sensual Distillations). It as a reaction to the contracting the
were used either enter tainment to describes many decadent excesses plague and other
to make necklaces dinner guests. perfume-making and religious diseases. Pomander
to disguise the methods and activities of the ingredients often
Roman Empire,
smell of sweat or recipes for fragrant included rose water,
perfume makes
infused in oil to oils, salves, and cloves, cinnamon,
a comeback as
make an ointment aromatic water s. returning Cr usader s sandalwood, and
for application after begin to reintroduce labdanum.
bathing. exotic scents,
such as musk and
aromatic resins, from
the Middle East.

L ACAD
B A AT I O N A L S
C
E MOL

N
R
ER
HE

H
O
INT

COURSE STUDY WORKSHEET T H E H E R B A L A C A D E M Y. C O M

ES
OF

11
ES

NC
HE

IE

B
R

A C
S
20

L
T

ARTS &
BL
A

ISHED
A TIMELINE of SELECTED EVENTS in the HISTORY of PERFUME cont’d.
14th century CE 16th century CE 17th century CE 18th century CE 19th century CE 19th century CE

“Queen of Hungar y Liber De Arte Nicholas Culpeper, Paul Feminis, an The nephew of Paul The advancement
Water” or Eau de Distillandi is written herbalist and Italian barber, Feminis, Jean Marie of chemistr y lays
Hongrie is created by French physician botanist, records invents Eau de Farina, modifies the the way for modern
for the Queen of Hieronymous the use of many Cologne, originally L’ eau admirable perfumer y, and
Hungar y. Many ear ly Br unschwig. In this aromatic plant called L’ eau formula and synthetic chemicals
recipes included text that led to distillates, including admirable (the renames it Eau de begin to appear
fresh rosemar y the widespread those made from admirable water). It Cologne. in mass-mar keted
distilled with brandy, use of essential wormwood, hyssop, included citr us oils, fragrances.
sometimes with the oils, Br unschwig r ue, chamomile, and neroli, and lavender.
addition of thyme, wrote about four lemon.
lemon, lavender, or essential oils: oil of
marjoram. turpentine, juniper,
rosemar y, and
lavender.

L ACAD
B A AT I O N A L S
C
E MOL

N
R
ER
HE

H
O
INT

COURSE STUDY WORKSHEET T H E H E R B A L A C A D E M Y. C O M

ES
OF

11
ES

NC
HE

IE

B
R

A C
S
20

L
T

ARTS &
BL
A

ISHED