The History of Perfume
Perfume is one of humanity’s oldest luxuries — older than writing in some of the cultures that practised it.
Perfume’s story runs from ancient Egyptian ritual oils and incense, through the refinements of the Islamic Golden Age, into the birth of modern Western perfumery in the nineteenth century and the synthetic revolution that followed. Each era left a lasting mark on how fragrance is made and worn today.
A brief timeline
- Ancient Egypt — ritual and daily-use scented oils and incense.
- The Islamic Golden Age — major advances in distillation technique.
- 19th-century Europe — the birth of modern, alcohol-based perfumery.
- 20th century onward — synthetic materials open up entirely new scent possibilities.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the word ‘perfume’ come from?
From the Latin per fumum, meaning “through smoke” — a nod to fragrance’s origins in burned, aromatic materials.
Continue a very old story — explore our Perfume Oils.
