The 8th anniversary of World Fragrance Day will be celebrated in Şanlıurfa, the only place in the world where black rose grows. The “Mesopotamia Exhibit on the Trace of Smell” opens on World Fragrance Day, as a result of the 3-year study to which academics and archaeologists contributed in collaboration with the Şanlıurfa Archeology Museum and the Fragrance Culture Association.
World Fragrance Day, which is celebrated every year on June 25, is celebrated in Şanlıurfa with all its splendor on its 8th anniversary this year. Continuing its efforts to register the World Fragrance Day with UNESCO on behalf of Turkey, the Fragrance Culture and Tourism Association is organizing the “Mesopotamia in the Track of Fragrance Exhibition” in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Şanlıurfa Museum and Bahçeşehir University Civilization Studies Center (MEDAM) at the Şanlıurfa Museum.
The Fragrance Culture and Tourism Association, which has carried out numerous studies, including scientific research, in order to keep the fragrance civilizations inherited by the Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians, Ancient Greece, Rome, Seljuks and Ottomans today, presents the findings of the archaeological studies on the fragrance cultures of ancient civilizations. It is presented to the world of science and the public at the Mesopotamia Exhibition in the Track of Fragrance.
The history of Perfume: The culture of fragrance civilizations
Celal Uludağ, Director of the Şanlıurfa Archeology Museum, with the idea of keeping alive and spreading the fragrance culture of the civilizations in Anatolia, in the exhibition, which was held as a result of the works carried out for 3 years, the replicas of the fragrance bottles from the Mesopotamian period, the production techniques of the fragrance bottles, the distillation methods of the fragrances, the preparation of the fragrances in solid and liquid forms and the exhibition. There will be many elements related to perfume and fragrance culture, such as fragrance usage culture.
Ancient civilizations left their mark on history with the distillation of substances such as flowers, leaves, wood chips, roots, as well as animal and different natural fragrances. Fragrances were indispensable elements in religious ceremonies, sacrificial rites and gifts to the gods. Fragrances were also used in various ceremonies to worship the gods. Fragrances were always used in holy ceremonies in order to be protected from evil spirits, to make wishes come true and to get rid of sins. While the word perfume comes from the Latin word “fumare” meaning to smoke, “per fumum” meaning “out of the smoke” and “coming with smoke”; The adventures it went through consisted of elements belonging to the fragrance culture of ancient civilizations. Incense was used as the first perfume ritual in the history of fragrance. Incense had a very important place in the fragrance culture, with the fragrant fumes spread to the environment by burning resin, fragranced herbs and bark, gum, aromatic plants in powder or solid form. The fragrance containers in which these fragrant liquids, which are very valuable and precious, were presented to the gods and kings, silently witnessed this magnificence. The Mesopotamia Exhibition in the Traces of Fragrance is waiting for its visitors to give a voice to these ancient fragrance cultures.