Three More Camels

Today’s pictures highlight three more camel shaped perfume vials that I have on my curio shelf.  The blue one in the middle is standing on its legs while the other two are balanced on a circular base. 

Each of these three camels have a different topper on the stopper in the vial.  The largest camel has the smallest topper.  The blue one in the middle has a similar topper to the ones I shared yesterday.  To me the topper looks a bit like a fan.  The purple one has the tallest topper.  This long tapered topper stretching to the top golden ball gives it an appearance of elegance. 

The earliest known examples of small perfume containers date back to the 15th Century BC. Terracotta Egyptian oil jars from the 3rd Century BC contained elaborate illustrations and hieroglyphics that told stories of the ruling class.  Scented oils and ointments were used in religious ceremonies and they became an important part of a woman’s beauty regime.

The ancient artform of perfume bottles spread across the Middle East before arriving in Greece and Rome where perfumes were believed to possess medicinal properties.  

In the 1st Century BC the technique of glass-blowing was invented in Syria.  Later glass-blowers in Venice produced vials and ampoules to hold perfume. An ampoule is a small sealed vial usually made of glass.  It is used to hold and preserve a sample of a liquid or a solid.  Modern ampoules are mostly used to contain pharmaceuticals and chemicals that must be protected from air and contaminants.

It was the Islamic World that kept the art of perfumery and perfume bottles alive thanks to the spice trade. Perfume bottles frequently took on themes of flowers, birds and animals.

While my three camel-shaped perfume bottles can hold perfume or essential oils, I think they are too fragile and beautiful to use for that purpose.  I enjoy seeing them on my curio shelf and they remind me of my travels to Egypt, the Middle East and countries that border the Mediterranean Sea.  You can read more of my adventures to many of these countries in my Travelling Tuesdays book.  Be sure and grab your autographed copy today.  

# living life abundantly      # published author