Another Elephant Shaped Perfume Bottle 

A perfume bottle is a vessel made to hold scent. The earliest example is Egyptian and dates to around 1000 BC.  The Egyptians used scents lavishly and when they invented glass, it was largely used for perfume vessels.

Historians believe the Egyptians were the first to use perfumes in their cultural rituals.  Archaeologists have discovered intricate perfume bottles within the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs.  When Tutankhamen’s tomb was opened, there was still a trace of a strong fragrance 3,300 years later.

In ancient times, glass was made from sand quartz.  The ancient Egyptians used some very complex chemistry to create and colour the glass.  The perfume vessels were crafted using a process called core-forming.  A soft form is dipped in molten glass at the end of a rod. They simply created shapes of bottles and other figures since they couldn’t blow spherical forms. 

Glass blowing was invented by Syrian craftsmen in the 1st C BC.  Blown vessels for luxury and everyday use were produced commercially in areas around Sidon, Aleppo, Hama and Palmyra. These products were exported to all parts of the Roman Empire.

Guess what!  I write about my trips to Sidon, Aleppo and Palmyra in my Travelling Tuesdays book.  Be sure and grab your copy of my book today.

Glass perfume bottles normally have a very classic appearance.  Glass bottle designs never get out of date and empty perfume bottles can be used to hold perfume oil, essential oils, or anointing oil. I use my empty perfume bottles to decorate my curio shelves. But I like the idea of having an Arabian nights party and using my collection as part of the party decorations. 

# living life abundantly   # published author