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Nigel Groom
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Fulham, London, UK
Table of contents (26 chapters)
About this book
In 1948 I was posted, as a Political Officer, to a remote part of south-west Arabia on the edge of the great desert called the Empty Quarter. In valleys made fertile by seasonal flood-waters lay the remains of an ancient civilization. I found inscriptions and the ruin sites of towns, palaces and temples. Almost buried under the sand dunes were the tumbled walls of a great city. From here, two thousand years before, huge camel caravans had trudged their way along 1600 miles of burning sand and rocks to Petra and Gaza, burdened with a most precious cargo - frankincense, myrrh and other perfume materials for the courts, temples and perfume shops of Rome. My book Frankincense and Myrrh delved into the details of this romantic trade and led to a broader interest in the perfumes of ancient times. Then, researching on behalf of a perfume house into the Arab contribution to perfumery, I came across the collection of perfume recipes assembled by the Arab philosopher-scientist Yaqub al-Kindi, which have never been translated into English (some, which I have translated myself, are now included in an appendix to this book). I realized that in that work I had found key evidence to demonstrate how the medieval Arab perfume makers had been the bridge in perfume history between ancient and modern times. Perfumery could now be seen as an art with a continuous history of development since the dawn of civilization.
Reviews
Skilfully blends whimsy with chemistry, with a fair sprinkling of social and scientific history - Nature; An invaluable companion, and it is certainly an interesting and helpful reference book - Esprit; The book has something for everybody, and that should ensure its success. - Cosmetic World News; This versatile title offers something to the chemisty students, fashion fanatics, historians, and even biologists. It's a fascinating encyclopaedia... - School Library Journal; A most useful book . . . has been released and gives hundreds of fascinating details about the world and the art of perfumery . . . There are entries describing the origin, use and folklore of plants providing essential oils from ancient times to the present day. There are notes on the history of perfumery and brief biographies of some of the great noses and bottle designers, in addition to profiles of the leading manufacturers and perfume houses . . . The different perfume types and families are described, as are hints given on how to choose, use and keep a perfume. An appenidx lists over 1,200 modern fragrances |o Beauty Fashion |d September 1992
Authors and Affiliations
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Fulham, London, UK
Nigel Groom
