Ancient Egyptian Hand Rolled Incense

The ancient Egyptians loved fragrant incense and perfumed oils. This is not terribly surprising as they lived in a hot and dusty country and the ancient world could be a rather smelly environment. The Egyptians led the world in the production of perfume and burned huge quantities of incense every day.

They believed that the gods loved the aromatic woods gums and herbs from which incense and perfume were formed. According to ancient records some temples burned frankincense in the morning, myrrh at midday and the much prized blend known as Kapet (or Kyphi) in the evening. Certain types of incense were associated with particular gods and goddesses; for example Hathor was thought to favour blends including myrrh and Osiris was apparently very fond of the scent of cedar. But incense and perfume was not only the preserve of the gods. Cleopatra was apparently very fond of the famous Egyptian perfume metopion and Egyptian art is littered with images of pharaohs, nobles and common people enjoying incense and wearing cones of perfumed oil.

Incense and perfume were not merely prized for their smell – it was also thought to have medicinal qualities. Nefertum, the god of perfume was also a god of healing who eased the suffering of the aging sun god Ra using the sacred lotus making him the world’s first aromatherapist! Kapet incense was used to cure everything from asthma and snake bites to stomach pains and bad breath. Medical papyrus dating to the reign of Khufu (thought to be the builder of the great Pyramid who ruled from around 2589BC to 2566 BC) include a number of incense recipes and one of the most popular recipes for kapet is inscribed on the wall of the temple at Edfu and other is recorded in the Ebers Medical Papyrus.

Incense could also help you in the afterlife! It is said that one of the reasons that so many aromatic gums and resins were used in the mummification process is that to ensure the support of Anubis in the halls of Judgement you had to be certain not to offend his highly developed sense of smell! Incense and perfumed oils were also included in the grave goods of the pharaohs who would no doubt look forward to enjoying their scent in the afterlife. A residue of oil found in an alabaster jar in the tomb of Tutankhaum confirms that he treasured a perfume based on spikenard and frankincense.

As many of the key incense ingredients (such as cedar, frankincense and myrrh) could not be sourced from within the country the Egyptians spent a great deal of time and resources developing trade links to ensure a steady supply. One of the most famous trading missions was the mission to Punt organised by Hatshepsut, a pharaoh who reigned during the eighteenth dynasty (around 1508 – 1458BC). She recorded the success of her trade with Punt on the walls of her mortuary temple but she was by no means the first pharaoh to import incense from Punt. Records confirm that the fifth dynasty pharaoh Djedkare Isesi (around 2414–2375BC) had established a trade route to import myrrh.

Incense was generally known as antyu (‘ntyw) the terms is also thought to relate specifically to a blend of cedar and myrrh. Other blends included Ihmut incense, sonter incense (both from Punt), green incense (most likely based on galbanum imported from Persia) and jb incense (possibly based on musk). The most popular Egyptian perfumes were Susinum (a perfume based on lily, myrrh, cinnamon), Metopion (based on galbanum, cardamom, myrrh), Cyprinum (based upon henna, cardamom, cinnamon, myrrh and southernwood), Mendesian (myrrh and cassia with assorted gums and resins), Stakte (based on myrrh) and a scent simply called “the Egyptian” (based on cinnamon and myrrh).

Kemet Design perfumes and incenses aim to replicate the ancient recipes and as far as is possible are created using only raw incense and essential oils. We are especially proud of our kapet incense (which is formed in the traditional manner over sixteen days) and  our Tutankhamun perfume which is formed from organic grade coconut oil and essential oils.

This was written by Jen for Go Organic Now who makes all the Hand Dipped Incense

http://www.kemetdesign.co.uk/

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