Speaking of fragrance

Abstract

F'el-fume is a substance that gives off a pleasant odOtJr~ Many perfuRIss have odours similar to those of fresh flowers. Almost all perfumes are blended 1:ronl natural and ·syrlthetj.c' (artificially created) substances. The most expensive pel'fumes contain oils fronl flo~Jers~ People use perftJmes in many ways tel Cl-eate a pleasant odour. They apply paste and liquid perfunles to their bodies and clothing. Anc:ient peoples burned fr'agrarlt resins, gums and woods as incense at ttleir religious cel"enloniesu Thev enjoyed the pleasant smell of the smoke from t~\e burning incense. The weIrd 'perfume' comes 1,'O'fl I:he L.atin L~J(Jr'd~:f 'f(JffiUS ', meaning snloke. Perfumes have been found in the tombs of Egvptian F'harao~\s who lived more than 300() years ago. 1"he Egyptiarls soaked fragrant woods and resins in water and oil~ ar~d therl f"ubt)ed their- bodies with the liqllid. They also embalmed or preserved their dead wlth those liquids. The allClsnt Greeks and Romans learned about EJerfumes fl-orn the Egyptians. For hundreds of years, perfume maklng was malnlv an Orierltal art. In the early thirteenth century the crusaders br'oLAght pel-fLlme frclm Palestine to England and France. By the sixteentll centLlry perfumes had become popular throughout Europe. Synthetic chemicals have been used extensively in perfumes since tt'\8 late l1irleteenth century. T(J(jay~ throllgt10ut tile world, ttle pel-fume lndustry is a multi - million - dollar - a - year