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Lise Manniche
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Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy, and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt Hardcover – September 20, 1999

by Lise Manniche (Author), Werner Forman (Photographer)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 22 ratings
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The art of modern fragrance-making owes much to practices developed in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians attached great importance to perfumes and cosmetics, which men and women wore to make themselves attractive and alluring, to restore vitality and good health, and as a means of venerating the gods and of negotiating a passage to the realm of the hereafter. In this lavishly illustrated, oversized book, Lise Manniche looks at the role played by scents and cosmetics in ancient Egyptian society and discusses their preparation―in some cases providing actual recipes.

Manniche details three categories of ingredients used by the Egyptians to make fragrances: plants, including cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, and mint; gums and resins, particularly myrrh and frankincense; and oils and fats ranging from almond oil to ox fat. "In order [for a scent] to achieve fame," Manniche writes, "the finished product had to have an aura of rarity, of exclusiveness, and of the divine. The more exotic the ingredients, the more valued the commodity; the more exquisite its presentation, the greater the appeal. In this way, the visual and olfactory arts combined to make small objects of the greatest luxury appreciated not only in Egypt, but all over the ancient world."

Drawing on Arabic and other sources, Manniche explores the application of perfumes in ritual and on social occasions, and examines the erotic connotations of scent in Egyptian art and poetry. Fragrant remedies, the central element in ancient medicine, are fully discussed. Finally, she investigates the widespread use of cosmetics, as revealed in wall paintings and painted sculptures.

The book features a hundred color photographs, taken by Werner Forman, of objects in the world's most celebrated museum collections. Exquisite cosmetic containers in the form of birds and animals, reliefs representing kings and priests perfuming images of deities, and lifelike mummy masks displaying make-up are among the images represented.

During the past decade, the West has seen a revival of traditional skills, particularly in the areas of spirituality and healing. This stunning book introduces an abundance of once highly prized skills to be reacquired and ancient products to be sampled anew.

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Previous page
  1. Print length
    160 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Cornell University Press
  4. Publication date
    September 20, 1999
  5. Reading age
    18 years and up
  6. Dimensions
    9.75 x 0.75 x 11 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0801437202
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0801437205
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Two unique new titles examine aspects of the culture of ancient Egypt. Paintings of people wearing incense cones on their wigs, sniffing flowers, and anointing just about anything; palettes for preparing cosmetics; and quantities of both romantic and religious literature all show the major role played by scent in Egyptian culture. Perfume was so important a part of ancient Egyptian life that it is remarkable that there are no other monographs on the subject. Noted author Manniche (Egyptology, Univ. of Copenhagen) studies the role of perfume and scent in Egyptian society as medicine, aphrodisiac, incense, and cosmetic. For the adventurous, Manniche even includes recipes from a variety of classical sources as well as Egyptian manuscripts. Recommended for large collections on the history of perfumes, aromatherapy, and folk medicine as well as general collections seeking scholarly but readable material on ancient Egyptian lifestyles. ~ Unlike other ancient civilizations, the Egyptians had large gold deposits within the boundaries of their lands. Esteemed late professor M?ller (Egyptology, Univ. of Munich) examines the place of gold in Egyptian life in all its aspects from mining to the creation of vessels and jewelry. Thiem's photographs are dramatic and sumptuous, exuding the sensuous quality of the artifacts; full- and double-page illustrations allow detailed examination of the workmanship for many items. Standard addenda such as a dynastic chronology are supplemented by an unusual but very helpful glossary of "Colored Stones and Their Sources" and a pictorial list of three dozen of the most common hieroglyphs. An excellent table of contents helps to make up for the regrettable lack of an index. Recommended for all libraries with an interest in Egyptian art history.
-Mary Morgan Smith, Northland P.L., Pittsburgh
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Anyone interested in the art of fragrance will be captivated by this book.... Reading it, one can almost smell the ancient Egyptian perfume. It's all sweetness and delight. Manniche's genuine love for her subject is evident on every page. This book is a treat for the mind, the eye, and the nose."

-- Marie-Paule Vanlathem ― Scientific American

"Perfume was so important a part of ancient Egyptian life that it is remarkable that there are no other monographs on the subject. Noted author Manniche studies the role of perfume and scent in Egyptian society as medicine, aphrodisiac, incense, and cosmetic.... Scholarly but readable."

― Library Journal

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cornell University Press; First Edition (September 20, 1999)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0801437202
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0801437205
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.01 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.75 x 0.75 x 11 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 22 ratings

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Lise Manniche

Lise Manniche

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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
22 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Stephanie Rose Bird
5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful Ancient Egyptian aromatherapy primer
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2003
Verified Purchase
This exceeded my expectations. Incredibly beautiful photographs thanks to Werner Forman. Ancient recipes from the Pharoahs and goddesses temples, myths, legends and Egyptian herbalism. Lise Manniche digs deep to find the original use for many essential oils that are in use today. She sticks with reputable research rather than presenting erroneous information yet the tone is lively and engaging. This book serves as an inspiration and will undoubtably make the reader want to know more about this fascinating era.
24 people found this helpful
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Peonies4C
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2012
Verified Purchase
This is a beautiful book filled with recipes and traditional uses of herbs. Lots of little historical tid bits. A very fun and interesting book. A great purchase for those interested in ethnobotany, herbalism, perfumery, aromatherapy as all of these topics are extensively covered and discussed.
3 people found this helpful
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Marie Anakee
4.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and interesting
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2000
The author did a wonderful job of covering the use of essential oil (perfumes) and botanicals in ancient Egypt (and at times other areas) from a archaeological standpoint. Many of the well known ancient perfume recipes are included and it is interesting to see how Pliny and others suggested medicinal use. I will say however people wishing Aromatherapy content, as the title denotes, will be very disappointed as there really is none. Lack of training in herbology, Aromatherapy or even botany also serves to limit the authors grasp and ability to expound. Altogether I feel the book is a great reference work and well researched.
22 people found this helpful
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BubbaHoTep
5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Treasure
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2011
Verified Purchase
This is a classic of the highest level of scholarly investigation and usable practical information about Egyptian perfumes and incense: a must for any serious student of temple praxis or the artistic side of Egyptian culture.
3 people found this helpful
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Guinivere Jordan
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2024
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Not many recipes
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RTLA
5.0 out of 5 stars I love it.
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2017
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Beauty coffee table quality book. The information is very thorough and insightful. I love it.
One person found this helpful
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Claudia Rodriguez
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book, a precious treasure!
Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2016
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Excellent book for deep study of Egyptian life and the way the interact with plants.
One person found this helpful
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Bill Schell
1.0 out of 5 stars This is a coffee table book
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2013
Verified Purchase
I thought it was an herbal and/or aromatherapy book, but not really. As one who does not read hieroglyphics, I cannot make heads nor tales of this book. I'm disappointed that I cannot use this book. Sadly, I am returning it.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Al
5.0 out of 5 stars A good study into the views and practices of the ancients towards aromatics.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 10, 2017
Verified Purchase
A very comprehensive study on the use of perfumes in ancient egypt. Manniche gives multiple versions of recipes, and explains her points well and draws from a variety of sources of evidence to support her points. A good read, informative and accessible to everyone wanting to know a bit more about how the ancients really used, viewed, traded and made their scents for both personal and religious use. multiple colour illustrations throughout, glossy pages and attractive dust cover- it looks nice on the bookshelf too!
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Amazon Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars The sensual side of Ancient Egypt
Reviewed in Germany on December 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
Beauty and health were seen as a whole in Ancient Egypt. Cosmetics and scents were part of this view in lay and in religious matters.
Lise Manniche discloses not only ancient recipes, but also explains the use and meaning of their ingredients. An important part in this book is her description of interpretation of Ancient Egyptian art and poetry in the context of sensuality (and thus connected to the main subject of this book).
Well written and well laid out.
Loved it from start to end.
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