If any of you want Tidbits emailed directly, let me know and I'll take care of it. Tidbits may be reprinted without charge -- with attribution and without change. Additionally, if you know of anyone who you think would enjoy Tidbits, please make them aware of us. URL
India. The Mughal period. Mid 17th century. Characteristic of these times ... an adoration of gems and royal metal and a preferred leaning toward natural forms: Think of rock crystal ... think of gold ... think of enamel and rubies and emeralds ... and think of a Mango. An unlikely combination you say?
The Middle and Far East. Pre-6000 B.C. Perfume ... a concern of priests and not cosmeticians ... originating at sacred shrines in the form of incense ... a function which still survives today.
Incense ... a pleasantly pungent odor that reached the church's worshippers through the medium of smoke. Latin: Through = per. Smoke = fumus. Through smoke = per fumus. Yaba daba doo. Perfume. Oh ain't etymology grand.
I have an image here to show you of a flask of the Mughal period. More than likely ... it held perfume. It is in the shape of a Mango. It is inlaid with gold wire forming a fluid system of crossing and connecting links that scroll up and around the flask. The junctures of the wire are randomly interspersed with cabochon rubies and emeralds.
The origins of perfume began with man and his search for food. He believed his greatest offering to the gods was his most essential possession ... the carcasses of his prey which he would burn in deferential sacrifice to the powers that ruled his very existence. Only problem was ... burning flesh has an acrid stench which needed to be masked. Enter ... eau de parfum ... aka incense. And time passed ... and it was noted by some that it was not only carcasses burned as offerings to the gods that smelled bad ... but Jerry over there ... and Mary too ... well ... there were times when it was best to stay upwind of them. And so new formulas were born. Oil of roses and crocus and violets ... and the body was now suddenly being anointed with honey and cinnamon and orange blossoms. Ah ... come here my little morsel of feminine pulchritude ... and let us have a sniff.
The body of the flask was made of two halves of rock crystal ... all held together by the interlacing gold wires. A delicate gold chain connected the enameled stopper to the collar of our vessel. If this flask were mine ... I would fill it with Joy perfume by Jean Patou ... for when I was a young lad of ten or eleven a dizzyingly beautiful nymphette with whom I went to school let me take a whiff from her small black heart-shaped bottle and I was forever hooked.
And in Rome soldiers were considered unfit to go into battle unless duly drenched in sweet scents. And while the Romans were conquering ... the perfumers of the day were raking it in.
So there it is ... perfumes and flasks and gold and gems ... a heady delving into the world of bejeweled containers of musk and ambergris and citric oils of lemon and orange and tangerine.
For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits...may I direct you to my home page at
And there ya have it. That's it for this week folks. Catch you all next week. Benjamin Mark
All issues of Tidbits are copyrighted and available from our home page. All rights reserved.