During Nero’s reign in the 1st century B.C., trade routes expanded, making the transportation of scented oils cheaper and faster. As a result, shops selling perfumes multiplied across Rome.

The most sought-after scent of the time was ‘rhodium,’ a blend of carefully selected roses. This perfume became synonymous with Nero’s reign. Another popular scent, ‘foliatum,’ made from Roman roses, was a lighter alternative to rhodium.

— Read more in Historical scents revived: Nero’s signature perfume recreated at Türkiye Today.

Part of the reason these long-lost embalming and burial perfumes smelled so delicious is most of their ingredients were actually pretty tasty. “Almost everything that the ancient Egyptians used in their perfume was edible,” Goldsmith says. “Perfumes in ancient Egypt were often very versatile. You could eat them, chew them, fumigate them, or wear them on your skin, hair and clothing.”

— Read more in Ancient Egyptians May Have Spiced Their Mummies: Most ingredients in embalming perfumes were good enough to eat at Atlas Obscura.

Now researchers studying residues of balms used in the mummification of a noblewoman called Senetnay have not only revealed that many of their ingredients came from outside Egypt but also reproduced their perfume.

[...] Huber added that, working with a perfumer, the team had recreated the balms’ scent, which would be used in an exhibition at the Moesgaard Museum in Denmark this autumn.

The smell of the balm has been labelled “the scent of the eternity”.

— Read more in ‘Scent of eternity’: scientists recreate balms used on ancient Egyptian mummy at The Guardian. Hat tip to Helen!