The re-creations are not yet for sale to the general public, but the excavation team is looking for a partner to market them. Proceeds would fund further archaeological work.
The smell of the perfumes is "a nice experience that re-creates in our mind a sort of ancestral reminder," she said in an email interview.
Discovered on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in 2003, the perfumes date back more than 4,000 years, said excavation leader Maria Rosaria Belgiorno of the National Research Council in Rome.
Remnants of the perfumes were found inside an ancient 3,230-square-foot (300-square-meter) factory that was part of a larger industrial complex at Pyrgos.
The buildings were destroyed during an earthquake in 1850 B.C., but perfume bottles, mixing jugs, and stills were preserved under the collapsed walls.
The artifacts are currently on display at the Capitolini Museum in Rome, along with modern reproductions of the centuries-old scents.
cents Re-created
Belgiorno's team analyzed the remains of the mixing jugs and identified 14 fragrances native to the Mediterranean region used in perfume production.
Extracts of anise, pine, coriander, bergamot, almond, and parsley are among the ingredients the ancient perfume-makers preferred.
The team also discovered four "recipes" concocted with the different fragrances.
http://www.museum.upenn.edu/index.php
http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/exhibits/FAP/fap_video.shtml
