Smell like a god: Ancient sculptures were scented, Danish study shows

Smell like a god: Ancient sculptures were scented, Danish study shows

Science has already proven that sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome were often painted in warm colors, and now a Danish study has revealed that some were also perfumed.

What If Ancient Statues Smelled Wonderful? The Surprising Secrets of Greco-Roman Sculptures

A new study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology has shed light on an often-overlooked aspect of ancient Greek and Roman art: the use of perfumes and aromatic substances in the adornment of sculptures. Led by archaeologist Cecilie Brøns, this research challenges the long-held belief that these iconic statues were merely visual objects, revealing a rich tapestry of sensory experiences that ancient audiences engaged with. For centuries, …

"A white marble statue should not be perceived as a statue made of stone," said study author Cecilie Bröns on Friday of the science website Videnskab.dk. "They should resemble a real god or a real goddess. "They should obviously also contribute to this with the appropriate fragrance. Perfume as "adornment" of cult statuesBröns, the conservator of the Glyptotek, a sculpture museum in Copenhagen, has studied Roman writers such as Cicero and temple…

Science has already proven that statues were often painted colourfully in ancient times. Now, a Danish study showed that the lifelike figures were sometimes perfumed. "A white marble statue should not be perceived as a statue made of stone," study author Cecilie Bröns said on Friday of the science website Videnskab.dk. "They should resemble a real god or a real goddess."