Recent research reveals that ancient Greek and Roman statues, typically seen as plain white marble, were originally vibrant and scented. Curator Cecilie Brns highlights the significance of scents in creating a sensorial experience and interacting with these artworks. Evidence from ancient texts and archaeological findings indicates that various perfumes, especially rose fragrance, were used to enhance these sculptures. This olfactory aspect, alongside their visual presentation, deepens our understanding of how these artworks engaged observers in ancient times, illustrating the multidimensional experience of art in the Greco-Roman world.
"Such scents could function as a way of creating a sensorial experience and even facilitating interaction between the image and the observer, without the use of touch."
"Adding scents would have made the experience of them not only a visual but also an olfactory one."
"These inscriptions are extremely interesting and have some clear evidence for the use of perfumes and scented oils for the cult images in the temple on the island."
"Some records of this scenting come from ancient bookkeeping. About 2,800 stones with inscriptions have been found on the Greek island of Delos..."
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