A-RE-PA Minoan-Mycenaean Scents - a view from 2000 B.C.E. to A.D. 2015

A-RE-PA Minoan-Mycenaean Scents - a view from 2000 B.C.E. to A.D. 2015

Sabine Beckmann PhD University of Crete Talk given (in Greek) with the title Μινωική αρωματοποιΐα at the 1.Συνζδριο Αιςθητηρίων Οργάνων και Γευςιγνωςίασ, Agios Nikolaos, Crete, 26.9.2015

Perfume culture in the Middle Bronze Age Eastern Mediterranean

Chamalevri, Rethymnon,Crete – Middle Bronze Age Perfume workshop. Chemical analysis showed traces of Iris aroma in many ceramic vessels. See: M. Andreadaki-Vlazaki in: Tzedakis, Y. and Martlew, H. Minoans and Mycenaeans: Flavours of their time. National Archaeological Museum, 12 July-27 November 1999, p. 45. There is also a very impressive Middle Bronze Age perfume workshop in Cyprus Pyrgos-Mavroraki, see Maria Rosaria Belgiorno/Italian Archaeological Mission at Pyrgos, www.pyrgos-mavroraki.eu; especially the article: “Cinyra, Cyprus and the notes of music, of wine and perfumes. “ 26/9/2015

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Middle Minoan 1 A (ca. 2100 B.C.) „Chamaizi juglets“ from e.g. Chamaizi, Malia, Kritsa, seem to have the ideal shape for viscous unguents/salve – were they used for perfume?

For more information see e.g.: Milan, Soledad, Chamaizi juglets from Malia, at: www.academia.edu/2630389/CHAMAIZI_JUGLETS_FROM_MALIA

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Chamalevri, Bolanis workshop, MM IA (ca. 2100 B.C.): tiny cup (3 cm!) – for perfume measuring? Analysis showed: Iris oil (Iris germanica) and beeswax

Cf. Tzedakis, Y. and Martlew, H. (eds.) Minoans and Mycenaeans: Flavours of their time. National Archaeological Museum [exhibition catalogue] Athens 1999, p. 47. 26/9/2015

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Late Bronze Age (1350-1200 B.C.): more information through written documents

Linear B tablet (LM III B) from Mycenae, House of the Oil Merchant, MY Ge 605+ Mentioning ko-ri-a-da-na (coriander), ku-mi-no (cumin), ka-ra-ko (pennyroyal?) Cf. Tzedakis and Martlew (eds.), Minoans and Mycenaeans, Flavours of their time, fig. 268.

KO 26/9/2015

RI -

JA -

DA -

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NA

(coriander) 5

Late Bronze Age: Late Minoan/Mycenaean (1500-1200 B.C.E.) pottery shapes used for graves – and trade/gifts? Analysis of a similar jug showed pure olive oil. Perfumed oil would also be an option.

The decoration of this jug was used as logo of this presentation and for the label of the perfumed oil mixture handed out as gift to participants.

LM III B (ca. 1300 B.C.) Stirrup jar, Armenoi tomb 211 - height 13 cm Cf. Tzedakis and Martlew, (eds.) Minoans and Mycenaeans, Flavours of their time, fig. 268 26/9/2015

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Late Minoan/Late Cycladic Aroma in various forms: Incense and oil based „perfume“ Fresco of Priestess (?), House of Ladies Fresco, Akrotiri, Thera (photo http://web.grinnell.edu, 2003)

Knossos Palace, Olive relief Fresco (photo Wikipedia)

Various resins have been used in the Bronze Age for incense, and olive oil as fatty base for fluid and viscous perfumes or scented mixtures (that may have had medical and religious uses, too) For more information on Minoan incense burning cf. https://ritaroberts.wordpress.com/ 26/9/2015

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Bronze Age Incense: Cretan options for resin Pistacia terebinthus , gall (terebinth)

Cypressus sempervirens

Chemical analyses of Minoan vessels with traces of burning showed also traces of some kind of „terebinth“ resin. Which species exactly is not clear. In Crete – apart from Pistacia lentiscus – only Pistacia terebinthus grows, Pistacia atlantica, as found in the Uluburun wreck (ca. 1350 B.C.E.) would have been an import from further east (Rhodes,Chios,Cyprus,Levant). For more information on the possible role of terebinth in Bronze Age cult see my article at academia.edu: Beckmann, S. Resin and Ritual Purification. Terebinth in Eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age Cult. In: Stampolides et al, Athanasia. Iraklion (2012). 26/9/2015

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For oil-based perfumes: Minoan favourite scents from favourite plants?

Blue Bird Fresco, Knossos MM III (ca. 1650 B.C. E.) showing mints, irises and pomegra nate

For more information on the plant symbolism and the interpretation of plants on Minoan Frescoes see several articles on my page at academia.edu. 26/9/2015

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Aromatic plants and substances mentioned in MinoanMycenaean archives (examples) • • • • • •

ko-ri-ja-do-no (coriander seed), cf. κορίανδρον, κολίανδρον ma-ra-tu-wo (fennel,) cf. μάραθον, μάραθρον mi-ta (mint’) cf. μίνθα ku-pa-ro (cyperus, galingale?), cf. κύπερος , κφπειροσ , κφπαιροσ ki-ta-no (a part of terebinth cf. Hesychius: “κρίτανος – τερμινθος“) ideogram *144 CROC = saffron (no known word in Linear B/Mycenaean, but the syllable „R/Lai-“ is used sometimes) • MU (? Myrrha? Myro? Myrtos?) Mysterious commodity mentioned in KN only, always together with 4 times as much oil, measured in whole units (Pieces/chunks? Whole products?)

It is not clear from the known sources if dried or fresh materials were used More information: Chadwick, John and Michael Ventris, 1973 Documents in Mycenaean Greek

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Aromatic plants in Minoan/Mycenaean perfumery used in my experimental unguent oil

Mint – Mentha spp. (I used fresh Mentha aquatica from my garden, Lakonia, Ag. Nikolaos) 26/9/2015

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Mint on the Blue Bird Fresco, Knossos ca. 1650 B.C.E. 11

„MU“ – se non è vero, è ben trovato:

Myrtus communis

The pleasant fresh scent of myrtle shouldn‘t miss in this perfume mix. I used these leaves from my garden (Lakonia, Ag. Nikolaos). Myrtle has been employed extensively in all the eastern Mediterranean since antiquity for ritual and healing purposes. Photo bottom left: Myrtle leaves contain ethereal oil in small vesicles, visible as yellow dots. Hence the use of fresh leaves seems a good idea for fragrant mixtures. The question of which was the still unidentified with certainty ku-pa-ro („kypeiro“) and if it may have had a similar function in Bronze Age aroma has still to be answered. 26/9/2015

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Ma-ra-tu-wo (μάραθον) Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel is indigenous to all the Mediterranean and widely used in medicines (since antiquity) and cooking (the young shoots in winter as vegetable). Its ancient Aegean (?) name has hardly changed in Greek for over 3000 years. For the experimental perfume I used the dry fruit of wild plants (Lakonia, Ag. Nikolaos).

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Ko-ri-ja-do-no (κολίανδρο, κορίανδρον) Coriandrum sativum No wild growing Coriander is known, although it is believed to have its origin in the Mediterranean. Coriander is a plant with many uses (green plant and seed), the smell/taste of the fresh leaves (cilandro), reminding some of bugs (see the etymologies below) is controversially seen as either pleasant or displeasing.

The coriander seed used in my perfume was grown in Greece, a few years ago I grew it successfully in my garden. 26/9/2015

The name has various possible etymologies: „It is usually put into relation with koris *κόρισ+ bug, because of the aroma of the leaves, but it is more probably a loan from an ancient Mediteranean tongue and might be distantly related to Greek karon *κάρον+ cumin”. http://gernot-katzers-spice-pages.com/engl/Cori sat.html Beckmann A-RE-PA

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Terebinth – „κρίτανοσ – τερμινθοσ“ Pistacia terebinthus

The subject of which part exactly of the terebinth tree (and which Pistacia species) was used in the Bronze Age is still under discussion (see above). ki-ta-no in its explanation by Hesychius as just „terebinth“ leaves various options: Resin – Fruit – Oil. I used the whole nearly ripe fruit, that contains some fatty oil as well as resin (see photo, the clear drops are resin where fruit has broken off), pounded with oilve oil , from Lakonia, Ag. Nikolaos

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Saffron Crocus – Crocus sp. Linear B tablet KN Np 85 dealing with saffron (weighed in the same units as gold)

Saffron occurs in Linear B only in Knossos (not in the other Mycenaean archives). The entry is usually an ideogram, not a word, sometimes the syllable „Rai/Lai“ in the form of a crocus is used. Was its Bronze Age name something like „Lairion“? (cf. Indoeuropean words for „flower“ like „lily“, anc. Greek λείριον). In Crete Crocus is today often called „krinaki“, „little lily“. I used „Krokos Kozanis“ (Crocus sativus) for the perfume, a kind gift from „Melissa“ herb shop, Ag. Nikolaos. 26/9/2015

Crocus on Minoan fresco fragment from Knossos, Archaeological Museum Iraklion

Crocus oreocreticus, one of the possible Cretan Bronze Age saffron plants (red listed) . Katharo plain, Ag. Nikolaos (1200 m)

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„Minoan“-style perfume production 2015 Raw materials and tools for Minoan-style perfume making

Straining the oil after soaking the aromatic plants for 2 weeks. (At Bronze Age perfume workshops funnels and vessels were ceramic!).

At the end of this first stage I had obtained several different aromatized oils. Especially interesting: Saffron (the small bottle) does not give off much of its (water soluble) colourants to oil, hence can be re-used for dyeing after giving off its perfume. 26/9/2015

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Finishing the perfume Heating the mixed plant aromatized oil with beeswax to melt the wax.

Why this kind of mixture? • Oil is the carrier substance • Plants give the main body of aroma • Resins are fixatives to stabilise the volatile components • Beeswax gives a stable, more viscous texture (hence no bottles but vases) • Honey is also a fixative In the times of Theophrastus salves like this were heated in hot water („bain-marie“) so as to prevent overheating. We do not know how the Minoans may have achieved this (may be just by being careful). The finished mixture is fluid when hot and viscous to hard when cold.

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The uses of perfumed oil -

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Aromatherapy and cosmetics Phytotherapy A valuable trade commodity (because of the above qualities and the pleasurable scent) and luxury object for „conspicuous consumption“ of elites (example: 1 ton of terebinth resin - from Pistacia atlantica – found in the shipwreck of Uluburun, eastern Aegean, ca. 1350 B.C.E.) A present between kings, example: the Aegean or “Minoan” delegation, painted on the walls of the Rekhmire Tomb, Egypt, ca.1500 B.C.E., showing men in typical central Aegean Bronze Age garments carrying all kinds of valuable gifts, mainly various vessels (some of which may have contained perfume). Example 2: The three magi bringing frankincese, myrrh and gold to the newborn Christ to show they recognize him as a king. In religious ceremonies in general: „ Spices and oils *…create+ a sense of elevation above the physical world of decay.” Wikipedia (Lemma “Holy anointing oil”), cf. Exodus 30:22-25. Modern continuity: cf. Holy anointing oil in Christian religion : “chrism” and the orthodox Άγιο Μφρο are elementary for Christian ritual (note: “Christos” as a title for Jesus means “the anointed one”).

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Let us hope that some of the aforementioned qualities will also be bestowed on us when savouring the fragrance of a good perfume. Thank you for your interest!

Another autumn-flowering, Aegean kind of aromatic saffron crocus (Crocus laevigatus , note the long, divided stigmata). North-east Cretan coast, November. 26/9/2015

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