With the exception of the mythical city of Atlantis, the oldest civilization known to man is the Egyptian. Thanks to the mighty river Nile, which overflowed its banks each year changing an arid desert into a fertile plain, Egypt was a land of plenty with a large population of powerful merchants and warriors, united by the twin cults of pharaohs and gods.

The ancient Egyptians were fascinated by the mystery of the human soul after death and no other people since have pursued the preservation of the body with the same relentlessness as the Egyptians sought to keep their dead pharaohs from decaying to dust.

The Egyptians thought tombs represented the door through which souls of the dead had to pass to reach their judgement by the god Osiris. The belief that the soul needed the body for that final journey led to the development of mummification, and art which required all of the Egyptians’ considerable skill with precious oils.

Perfumes, especially those developed from resins, were originally used to appease the gods but in time they became more important in the embalming process for chemical reasons. Materials with drying agents like asphalt were also used for mummification.

Ancient papyruses describe how perfumes were an integral part of worship. Each day priests would offer resins in the morning, myrrh in the afternoon and finally the most sacred and powerful scents in the evening to the gods.

But perfume also served a secular purpose and the Egyptians’ extensive knowledge of flowers and spices like irises, heliotrope, saffron, cinnamon, cedar oil, myrrh and numerous other resins helped create delicate scents for aristocrats at the Egyptian court.

Studies conducted on alabaster bottles discovered among artifacts left beside female mummies have led scientists to believe women preferred perfumes made from flower essences for their personal use. Archaeologists have also found sachets around mummies’ necks containing aromatic grains.

The famous Egyptian queen Cleopatra used opiates and perfumes to seduce her many lovers and she’s generally credited with inventing pomades from bear grease. Legend says the banquet hall where she entertained Mark Anthony was often saturated with precious oils.

However, after the death of Cleopatra Egypt was annexed by the mighty Roman Empire and began to follow the customs of her conquerors and the erosion of this once great culture began. Later dominance by Arab races led to the destruction of the remains of Egypt’s ancient civilization.

Modern scientists have learned very little about how the Egyptians manufactured their heady perfumes and oils. Clever and complex processes were used by a sophisticated race that shone as gifted administrators, consummate artists and builders of grand pyramids. Egypt was probably the perfume counter of the ancient world.