#unguentarium

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Unguentarium.

Date: A.D. 1st-2nd century

Period/Culture: Roman Imperial

Medium: Transparent, almost colorless, slightly greenish glass.

[earthstory]

Emerald unguentarium

I couldn't resist this word, redolent of the flavour of a bygone age, when every 'decent' person had emerald cosmetics jars and the like littering their palaces. These pots were made of many substances (most often it must be admitted glass or glazed ceramic rather than precious beryl), and were designed to contain tallow based (animal fat) cosmetics, perfumed oils and medicines without absorbing their contents. They have been around since pre-Roman times, and were often interred with their owners, so are often found in excavations of ancient cemeteries. The one in the photo is in the Imperial treasury of the Hapsburgs in Vienna, was commissioned by Ferdinand 3 in 1641, and carved out of a deep green twinned Colombian crystal (probably from Muzo) with exceptional colour and transparency that originally must have weighed some 3,000 carats. The shape is somewhat irregular, no doubt to conserve as much gem as possible through the carving process, and the lid was carved out of the material removed from the inside. The current weight is 2,860 carats for a size of 8.5x7.2x 10.9 cm high, and there are four leaves engraved on the surface. The rock had been hanging around in the treasury for a good half century after being purchased by the alchemist emperor Rudolf 2, before it was cut by the famous gem carver Dionysio Miseroni of Prague. The job took the artist around a year to complete.

Loz

Image credit: Andrew Bossi http://www.internetstones.com/emerald-unguentarium-in-the-imperial-treasury-vienna-2860-carats-schatzkammer.html

[archaicwonder]

Iridescent Roman Glass Unguentarium, 1st-3rd Century AD

4.5 inches (11.43cm) high

[theancientwayoflife]

~ Cosmetic Jar (Unguentarium). Culture: Roman Date: ca. A.D. 50

[archaicwonder]

Roman Blue Glass Double Unguentarium, 4th Century AD

[archaicwonder]

Iridescent Roman Glass Unguentarium, 1st Century AD

[rgf-populace]

[yaellaharpe-blog]

Unguentarium, 1st and 2nd century AD

What did the ancient Romans smell like? We finally have an answer to this question!

Yes, a patchouli-scented ointment was found in a jar sealed almost two thousand years ago. A unique, fragrant scent that the ancient Romans used to seduce.

"But who did the ancient Romans scent or smell?" Answering the question is a group of researchers who found a quartz bottle sealed for more than 2000 years in a Roman tomb in the city of Carmona, in the province of Seville. It is an 'unguentarium' of about 10 centimetres containing a small solid mass, which was analysed by the University of Córdoba. The substance revealed the presence of a patchouli-scented ointment.

The small bottle was found in a tomb discovered in 2019 during renovation work on a building in Carmona. The building, between the 1st and 2nd century AD, was one of the main centres of the Roman province in southern Spain. The tomb is a family burial complex with eight niches, two empty and six occupied by as many urns (three female and three male).

In each of these niches there were also numerous grave offerings, including the amphora-shaped bottle with its mysterious contents. This ointment was found in the niche containing the remains of a woman who had died at around forty years of age (the age at which one began to be considered old, anyway).

Regarding the making of perfume, we find indications in the writings of Pliny the Elder. Two basic components were used: a base or binder, which facilitated the preservation of the aromas, and the essence. In this case, the base was a vegetable oil, perhaps aloe or olive oil. The essence, on the other hand, was obtained from a plant of Indian origin, Pogostemon cablin (known in Malaysia as puchaput).

Through this discovery, it was possible to know another piece of ancient Roman history, and to discover what their customs and habits were when it came to beauty and beauty care. Ointment, it was later discovered, was a perfumed essence designed for the female body, while stronger, stronger aromas were used for male body care, such as pine needles and amber essence. In short, the ancient Romans had many customs, some well known and others less so. This perfume bottle opens the way to endless other discoveries, and allows us to better imagine 'what the ancient Romans smelled like'. At least we have discovered that they did not stink (or at least, not all of them!).

Source: vistanet.it