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Young World
Still smelling sweet
The world's oldest known perfumes have been found on the island reputed to be the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, Italian archaeologists announced last week. Discovered on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in 2003, the perfumes date back more than 4,000 years, said excavation leader Maria Rosaria Belgiorno of the National Research Council in Rome. Remnants of the perfumes were found inside an ancient 3,230-square-foot (300-square-meter) factory that was part of a larger industrial complex at Pyrgos. The buildings were destroyed during an earthquake in 1850 B.C., but perfume bottles, mixing jugs, and stills were preserved under the collapsed walls. The artefacts are currently on display at the Capitolini Museum in Rome, along with modern reproductions of the centuries-old scents. Belgiorno's team analysed the remains of the mixing jugs and identified 14 fragrances native to the Mediterranean region used in perfume production.
COMPILED BY ROHINI RAMAKRISHNAN
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