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7 m8 Z. M8 x# [' K, l4000-year-old perfumes found on Aphrodite's fabled island/ Y4 h9 Q: ]; e/ `/ C
The remains of ancient scents and bottles found on Cyprus have gone in display, writes Malcolm Moore. , @4 S+ u4 Z* r# b% F 1 T# k9 ~" ]& uITALIAN archaeologists have found the world's oldest perfumes on Cyprus.' j1 Z7 h; n2 I* [5 s. W( ^
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The perfumes were scented with extracts of lavender, bay, rosemary, pine or coriander and kept in tiny translucent alabaster bottles.. M7 m& I; h6 @5 x3 m. W: p
+ E/ [; v7 @' D5 `0 v, |The remaining traces found at Pyrgos, in the south of the island, are more than 4000 years old.$ N" ^: }3 B& I& G1 J
& y$ q! @9 B4 T( }; YThey were discovered inside what archaeologists believe was an 3995-square-metre perfume-making factory.7 j! O4 }' p9 o# |0 g% ?4 J
n+ U4 [) P# F& v4 |"We were astonished at how big the place was," the leader of the archaeological team, Maria Rosa Belgiorno, said. "Perfumes must have been produced on an industrial scale." 6 e O9 K( [4 o- e4 M2 W+ R3 O% t. n% ~& W% I
At least 60 stills, mixing bowls, funnels and perfume bottles were perfectly preserved at the site, which had been blanketed in earth after a violent earthquake about 1850BC.0 Q# r* i& H& Z+ @' K8 b+ f
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The abundance of perfumes fits well with Cyprus' mythological status as the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. % {8 Q/ [& f- Q# {( d" |) r2 J4 z( r/ T. `' U
"The goddess' myth was strongly linked to the perfume she used to get what she wanted," the head of Cyprus' antiquities department, Pavlos Flourentzos, said. 7 F. }8 L( E$ K2 I1 X ( O3 g6 j/ H8 F: F! BThe finds are now on display at the Capitoline Museum in Rome. / q a5 n" r3 t3 p0 Z- x( [ `: X. [) d- V* a v
Four of the perfumes have been re-created from residues found at the site.; n! L6 _, n4 y5 m2 Z; `3 Z1 r
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An Italian foundation, which aims to re-create antique traditions, distilled them according to techniques described by Pliny the Elder, by grinding the herbs, adding them to oil and water, and burying them in a long-necked jug over hot embers for 12 hours.) b, \! H, H9 x) q/ m2 b
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"It smells good, but strong," museum visitor Alessia Affinata, 30, said. "I can smell the pine especially," said Giulia Occhi Villavecchia, 23.5 v& R% L Q# l; E, b* l
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Neither was sure they would actually wear them.
图片附件: [Fragments of ancient perfume jars found at Pyrgos, Cyprus.] perfumes.jpg (2007-3-24 10:10, 17.02 KB) / 下载次数 90 http://www.csuchen.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=249682&k=d12d27c9a7c1364c413070989f26b58a&t=1762135011&sid=kQH639
图片附件: [Fragments of ancient perfume jars found at Pyrgos, Cyprus.] perfumes.jpg (2007-3-24 10:10, 17.02 KB) / 下载次数 90