Perfumes are the foremost noticeable accessories in people. By wearing a good-scented perfume, people often develop a distinct personality of themselves, which eventually adds to their overall uniqueness. In this blog post, we will discuss in detail what was the first perfume ever made and how it differs from modern-day perfumery products.
But, are we aware that almost all perfumery products used in the modern world have their roots, way back in time. Yes, you guessed it correct. It was the Mesopotamians, who had curated, the first ever perfume in the history of human civilization.
What is a Perfume?
A perfume is a liquefied mixture of odorants, solvents etc. It is usually made from fragrance oils that are extracted from flowery and spicy elements, frequently used to provide a scented sense of aroma, after its application on the human body.
Important: The word perfume comes from the Latin word perfumare, which means to smoke through.
How are perfumes made?
Perfumes are often made by the extraction of the scented oils from the natural components. These natural elements, afterwards, are blended with the other ingredients to complete the process of perfume making.
Who invented the first perfume?
The first ever perfume was called the “incense”. This perfume was crafted by the people of the Mesopotamian Civilization. A Mesopotamian woman, named Tapputi, is considered to be the first ever perfume maker, in the history of perfumery.
How did Tapputi make the first perfume?
Tapputi used distillation, with the help of which, she blended oils, resins, and flowers as well. Also, she had developed various methods, so as to extract out the scents, with the use of solvents.
Incense: The First Ever Perfume
Tapputi, one of the chief figures in the history of perfumery, is often cited as the first perfumer ever. The lady perfumer has established her legacy in the world of perfume-making. There are multiple references of Tapputi, due to identification, which had been made possible with the help of a “Cuneiform Tablet”. This historical tablet, had been discovered from “Iraq”, which historically gets down to the ancient city of “Babylon”.
The tablet has engraved in it, text, obviously in Babylonian Language, about the prime role of Tapputi, who was one of the best and renowned perfumer, in those times. Thus, it can be inferred that Tapputi was the first perfumer in the history of perfume-making.
It is also that this highly-skilled perfumer, named Tapputi, is also being credited to be one of the first persons, who has learned the art to develop the methods, which are used in the distillation. This distillation process included the extraction of essential oils, which were mostly derived from the plants. It is due to Tapputi’s excellence, that this process, had risen to become a prime method for creating the best incense perfume or perfumery products.
An Insight into the Incense: A Mesopotamian Fragrance
The perfumery skills of Tapputi, included the utilization of thorough knowledge about the various properties present in the naturally-found ingredients. The study comprised of accurate specifications about the distillation process, and also a well-learned and a well-practiced understanding.
With this knowledge, she was skillfully capable to blend different fragrances, in order to get some of the best effects, out of the scent, for an aromatizing appeal. Since, it is already known, that Tapputi had produced various kinds of perfumed oils. It is not only for her personal use, but also for some of the religious use, as well.
This could be proved by the fact that Tapputi, also had a fine experience, in working with the incense. There are a few references which, give hints, as to the involvement of perfumes, in the religious practices, in the times of the ancient civilization of the Mesopotamia.
Role of the Incense in Ancient Mesopotamia: An Overview
It has been found out in various studies, that the Incense, served to be an integral part of the ceremonial as well as the spiritual indent of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization.
During those times, incense’ were prepared from woods, resins, and plant materials. All such natural ingredients, were to be burnt down, which would eventually lead to the release of a fragmented smoke.
This smoke, was supposedly, believed to have worked as a carrier of the offering and prayers done by the people, to the gods, up in the heaven. This type of scent was also considered as an air purifier, an element to make the spirits stay away from the humankind, and lead into the creation of a connection, which conjoined the physical world with the divine.
Incense: Some Common Materials in Tapputi’s Perfume
The types of incense used in ancient Mesopotamia varied, but some common materials included:
1. Frankincense
- A resin from the Boswellia tree, frankincense, was highly prized for its rich, balsamic scent.
- It was often burned in religious rituals to honor gods and goddesses.
2. Myrrh
- Another resin, myrrh, has a deep, earthy fragrance and was used both as an incense and in perfumes.
3. Cedarwood
- This note is known for its strong and woody aroma which was burned to purify the air and in sacred rites.
4. Saffron & Cinnamon
- These spices were sometimes added to incense blends for their exotic fragrances and symbolic associations with divine favor.
Tapputi: Was she simply a Distiller or a professional Chemist?
- Tapputi was more than just a distiller, she was an early practitioner of chemical techniques in ancient Mesopotamia.
- While she certainly used distillation to refine aromatic substances for perfumes and medicinal purposes, her work suggests a deeper understanding of chemical processes.
- Tapputi’s ability to experiment, refine, and re-distill substances indicates a level of empirical experimentation that goes beyond simple preparation.
- Her craft, blending herbal knowledge, ritual practices, and chemical manipulation, positions her not just as a perfumer but as a professional chemist in the earliest sense, pioneering methods that would later evolve into modern chemistry.
Traveling Back in Time: A Path following the Incense’s Sillage
- Known for her mastery of distillation, Tapputi crafted incense and perfumes for religious rituals, blending oils, resins, and plants in ways that reverberated across time.
- The silage, or lingering scent, symbolizes the enduring legacy of her craft, where the fragrant trails she left in temples and sacred spaces still resonate today.
- Her work, both medicinal and spiritual, connects us to an ancient world where scent bridged the divine and the human.
Conclusion
A fascinating look into the fusion of art, science, and religion in ancient Mesopotamia can be found in Tapputi’s legacy. She was one of the first perfumers known to history, and in addition to being an expert in distillation. She recognized the profound role that fragrance played in bridging the gap between the divine and humanity.