Posted on 03/17/2007 11:13:20 AM PDT by blam
Published: March 16, 2007 at 2:24 PM
Ancient perfume found on Venus' island
ROME, March 16 (UPI) -- Archaeologists exploring Cyprus, said to be home to Venus, the goddess of love, have stumbled upon the world's oldest known perfume factory.
A display of the prehistoric scents and 60 objects from the Cyprus discovery can be seen at Rome's Capitoline Museums, ANSA reported. The distilling equipment is believed to be 4,000 years old.
"We were astonished at how big the place was ... Perfumes must have been produced on an industrial scale. No wonder the island got its reputation for possessing the skills of Aphrodite," said National Research Council archaeologist Maria Rosa Belgiorno, using the Greek name for Venus, ANSA reported.
Perfumes are displayed in alabaster vials found in 2003 and are made of olive oil, pine, coriander, laurel, bergamot, parsley and bitter almonds, ANSA said.
The scents are named after the Greek goddesses Aphrodite, Hera, Athena and Artemis.
"A perfume with the scent of parsley.....ugh. (Parsley is for seasoning food, not humans)."
Beg to differ, Master. Parsley is only good for decorating food, not even for seasoning...
"the Turkish armed occupation is now in its 33rd year"
This topic is in its first week.
Some Turkish armed forces remain in the Turkish are of NE Cyprus. The Turkish army was sent in (in 1974) to stop further bloodshed, mostly being conducted by the Greek Cypriots and organized by the Makarios-led gov't (off and on from circa 1960).
I was going to ask about Paprika for seasoning humans, but apparently the more fundemental question is..."Food isn't people?" :P
"Beg to differ, Master. Parsley is only good for decorating food, not even for seasoning..."
Ah, but parsley is used to clean the palate after eating. Aids in getting rid of bad breath after eating your meal:
From WH Foods:
"While parsley is a wonderfully nutritious and healing food, it is often under-appreciated. Most people do not realize that this vegetable has more uses than just being a decorative garnish that accompanies restaurant meals. They do not know that parsley is actually a storehouse of nutrients and that it features a delicious green and vibrant taste.
Parsley is native to the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe. While it has been cultivated for more than 2,000 years, parsley was used medicinally prior to being consumed as a food. The ancient Greeks held parsley to be sacred, using it to not only adorn victors of athletic contests, but also for decorating the tombs of the deceased. The practice of using parsley as a garnish actually has a long history that can be traced back to the civilization of the ancient Romans.
While it is uncertain when parsley began to be consumed as a seasoning, it seems to be sometime in the Middle Ages in Europe. Some historians credit Charlemagne with its popularization since he had it grown on his estates.
Parsley is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. It is a good source of iron and folate. Parsley's volatile oil components include myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and alpha-thujene. Its flavonoids include apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin.
So, next time parsley appears on your plate as a garnish, recognize its true worth and partake of its abilities to improve your health. As an added bonus, you'll also enjoy parsley's legendary ability to cleanse your palate and your breath at the end of your meal."
Of course perfume was big back then they didn’t have deodorant yet. I always wondered how people could stand each other before regular bathing and deodorant was invented, and washing machines and dryers and clean clothes every day. They must have reeked!
Greeks and Romans were known to bath often, they erecting many elaborate, expensive bathhouses that aside for being used to clean oneself they were also healing practices with entertainment, social festivities, and physical fitness. Some public baths were so grand that they could easily contain lecture halls, art galleries, meditation rooms, and prayer stalls. They viewed bathing as something one simply did to keep healthy, cleanse one’s self before conducting business, after a day’s work, or before taking part in philosophical discussions, or battle. So in essence they bathed as often as modern people do. If anything people in later centuries such as medieval times or during later times when those powdered wigs became popular because people did not bath often probably stunk more then the ancient Greeks and Romans ever did. LOL! ;)
LOL! I hear ya, Ditter. :)
My sister has the big cast iron pot/tub that my mother told us her mother used to cook/wash clothes outside with a wood fire under the pot. She also said that they used to make their own soap from lye and animal fat (I think it was). Times they have changed. Also, I think clothes washing used to be an all day affair.
Wash day was Monday and ironing day was Tues. On Mon. we always ate what mom called wash day beans. Tough life and it hasn’t been that long ago.
LOL. My little sister (60 years old now) got her arm caught in that wringer and I saved her by hitting the 'quick-release' mechanism. Clothes washing was women's work then.
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