2 y) |+ z; W& h7 Q: Q. L& G来源：信息时报. ?+ _1 ]- h; i7 k, h! ?9 U( }& Z. F
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4000-year-old perfumes found on Aphrodite's fabled island! S$ x) A: a3 S1 j" c& a0 h
The remains of ancient scents and bottles found on Cyprus have gone in display, writes Malcolm Moore.4 j9 A( j! |2 _8 [, G) ^, k
: D' a' x1 {# Q! R* ^* {ITALIAN archaeologists have found the world's oldest perfumes on Cyprus. 9 H! [8 G8 a e/ G, _5 W $ w- D5 G; N! u1 c4 wThe perfumes were scented with extracts of lavender, bay, rosemary, pine or coriander and kept in tiny translucent alabaster bottles.2 D3 P# k# p5 w( T9 V
" o" Q) B9 _7 f8 x# M7 O0 rThe remaining traces found at Pyrgos, in the south of the island, are more than 4000 years old.4 a, A) J; C/ W5 p; D
6 g' ~' t$ r( `8 [6 X) d. Y8 Z+ g5 lThey were discovered inside what archaeologists believe was an 3995-square-metre perfume-making factory. / c: g+ f% ~, W) v6 [8 F6 O1 a5 } % o1 X, }+ q: a+ t5 k"We were astonished at how big the place was," the leader of the archaeological team, Maria Rosa Belgiorno, said. "Perfumes must have been produced on an industrial scale." 9 Z! K! ]* e e, p" n( D! d$ ]; k1 l1 A) u2 Y, N5 Q2 {' v6 {
At least 60 stills, mixing bowls, funnels and perfume bottles were perfectly preserved at the site, which had been blanketed in earth after a violent earthquake about 1850BC." a2 Z& h3 E$ r& g
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The abundance of perfumes fits well with Cyprus' mythological status as the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. . c, W: i( X- g. {* T5 }5 q& X8 [" D( D) f3 N+ r1 m( S3 e
"The goddess' myth was strongly linked to the perfume she used to get what she wanted," the head of Cyprus' antiquities department, Pavlos Flourentzos, said. 6 t4 h% \, \5 V; W: ?- M+ y; h+ _( b L: a" ]( ]4 h' [1 J
The finds are now on display at the Capitoline Museum in Rome.) @4 D1 p$ {9 X+ s
% g3 c5 f) H& \# qFour of the perfumes have been re-created from residues found at the site.0 ~" c6 ?3 p9 M& k% a; F( j/ m( A7 c M) {
1 O6 z. l- p9 E/ f# t$ vAn Italian foundation, which aims to re-create antique traditions, distilled them according to techniques described by Pliny the Elder, by grinding the herbs, adding them to oil and water, and burying them in a long-necked jug over hot embers for 12 hours.5 F1 j( q) t0 D8 i% ]& v4 t7 _
5 a* V* b( u5 ?& h$ n: m"It smells good, but strong," museum visitor Alessia Affinata, 30, said. "I can smell the pine especially," said Giulia Occhi Villavecchia, 23. ' l+ v) @, v: x& Y9 F7 p& N, C" F7 ] |% n# L5 ^; L* e/ J
Neither was sure they would actually wear them.
图片附件: [Fragments of ancient perfume jars found at Pyrgos, Cyprus.] perfumes.jpg (2007-3-24 10:10, 17.02 KB) / 下载次数 90 http://rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de/bbs/attachment.php?aid=249682&k=f29ecfc09e61d43037cbe9c759ebd42d&t=1774570189&sid=Dfo5Qd
图片附件: [Fragments of ancient perfume jars found at Pyrgos, Cyprus.] perfumes.jpg (2007-3-24 10:10, 17.02 KB) / 下载次数 90