“Unveiling the Scented Secrets of Antiquity: How Ancient Statues Transformed the Air We Breathe”
Have you ever wondered what it would’ve been like to stroll through an ancient marketplace, surrounded by colorful statues—not just to see, but also to smell the fragrant scents wafting through the air? Well, it turns out that admiring a statue in the ancient world was an experience that tickled the olfactory senses as much as the visual ones! New research reveals that the statues of Greece and Rome were not the stark white marble figures we envision today; they were vibrant, multi-colored works of art, meticulously perfumed with delightful scents like beeswax, rose, and olive oil. Imagine the impact that had on the passerby—rather than merely gazing at inanimate stone, they would encounter a lively, aromatic representation of a god or ruler, bursting with personality. As the study’s author, Cecilie Brøns, states, “Admiring a statue in the ancient world was not just a visual experience, but also an olfactory one.” So grab your favorite scented candle and prepare to delve into the olfactory wonders of the past! LEARN MORE.
New research into Greco-Roman sculpting has revealed the true extent to which “admiring a statue in the ancient world was not just a visual experience, but also an olfactory one.”
Tufts UniversityStatues of gods and goddesses, like Artemis (pictured), were often perfumed by the ancient Greeks and Romans, new research reveals.
Today, Greco-Roman statues are striking in their simplicity due to their stark white coloring and blank eyes. But, during antiquity, these statues were actually brightly colored — and, as explored in a new study, they were even coated with deeply aromatic perfumes.
In ancient Greece and Rome, statues were doused with pleasant scents like beeswax, rose, and olive oil. Such anointment not only gave them an inviting smell, but also helped preserve their color and form.
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