The ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, which are exhibited in museums today, were actually very different in their original state. These works, which we saw with the simple elegance of white marble today, were decorated with details that appealed to the senses thousands of years ago. The sculptures painted in bright colors were sometimes completed with jewels and clothes. New research, on the other hand, suggest that these ancient sculptures may be performed.

At the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, Cecilie Brøns, an archaeologist and ancient art curator, analyzes this theory by analyzing various written texts of ancient Greek and Roman periods. In his work on March 3, published at Oxford Journal of Archaeology, BRAns claims that odors are added to sculptures and made them a multidimensional experience only from being a visual work. Brøns states that the modern perception of ancient sculptures is “shape and form -oriented, but the fact that these works may be fragrant in the early states is ignored.

Evidence about perfumes

Although Brøns, the traces of ancient perfumes have been physically lost, he finds the clues on this subject in written texts. For example, it is known that the Roman writer Cicero wrote that a statue of Artemis in Segesta city was “meshed with valuable ointments, adorned with wreaths and was accompanied by incense”. Greek poet Kallimachos, Queen of Egypt II. He describes Berenice’s sculpture as “soaked with beautiful perfumes”. In addition, the Greek philosopher Proklos states that perfumes were poured on the sculptures in the holy tombs.

The ancient inscriptions in the Greek island Delos detail the costs of the materials used for decorating temple statues. Listing materials such as sponge, linen, wax and rose perfume shows that sculptures are not only visual but also a fragrant charm. Brøns suggests that perfumes may be applied in cream form by mixing with herbal or animal oils.

However, these inscriptions do not detail exactly how the ornamental process called kosmesis is applied. Questions such as whether it is applied to certain sculptures or to all temple sculptures, or whether all of the statues are applied to all or only specific parts.

Apart from perfumes, the addition of floral ornaments to sculptures may have enriched the odor and aesthetic aspect of these works. Evidence of ancient flower decorations is verified by both written sources and archaeological findings. These decorations, combined with the scents of fresh flowers, show that ancient sculptures offer a sensory feast to the audience.

As a result, ancient Greek and Roman sculptures were not only visible artifacts, but also a multidimensional experience of experience that appealed to other senses. Cecilie Brøns’s work allows to rediscover the fragrant and tactile dimensions of these works by overcoming the restrictions of modern perception.