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塞浦路斯发现世上最古老香水
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塞浦路斯发现世上最古老香水 历经4000年香味犹存
The world's oldest perfumes have been found on Cyprus by a team of archaeologists. The perfumes were scented with extracts of lavender, bay, rosemary, pine or coriander and kept in tiny translucent alabaster bottles. The remaining traces found in Pyrgos, on the south of the island, are more than 4,000 years old.
The scents were discovered inside what archaeologists believe was an enormous 43,000 sq ft perfume-making factory. "We were astonished at how big the place was," said Maria Rosa Belgiorno, the leader of the Italian archaeological team. "Perfumes must have been produced on an industrial scale."
At least 60 distilling stills, mixing bowls, funnels and perfume bottles were found perfectly preserved at the site, which had been blanketed in earth after a violent earthquake around 1850 BC.
The abundance of perfumes fits well with Cyprus' mythological status as the birthplace of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. "The goddess's myth was strongly linked to the perfume she used to get what she wanted," said Pavlos Flourentzos, head of Cyprus's antiquities department.
The finds are now on display at the Capitoline Museum in Rome. In addition, four of the perfumes have been recreated from residues found at the site.
An Italian foundation which aims to recreate antique traditions distilled them according to techniques described by Pliny the Elder, by grinding the herbs, adding them to oil and water, then burying them in a small long-necked jug over hot embers for 12 hours.
"It smells good, but strong," said Alessia Affinata, a 30-year-old visitor. "I can smell the pine especially," said Giulia Occhi Villavecchia, 23. Neither woman, however, was sure that they would actually wear them.
近日，意大利考古学家在塞浦路斯南部发现了世界上最古老的香水。这些香水已有4000年历史，被密封在半透明的雪花石膏小瓶子里。残留在瓶中的香精散发出熏衣草、月桂树、迷迭香、松树或胡荽的香味。
据英国《每日电讯报》3月21日报道，发现香水的遗址面积达4.3万平方英尺（约合3995平方米）。考古学家认为，这曾是一座香水加工作坊。参与此次发掘行动的考古队队长贝尔格诺说：“我们惊讶地发现这个地方竟如此之大，这里一定曾经大规模地生产过香水。”考古学家还在发现香水的地方发现了蒸馏器、混合液体的碗、漏斗和香水瓶等60多件保存完好的物品。据推测，这处遗址大约在公元前1850年的地震中被埋入地下。
塞浦路斯考古部门负责人佛罗伦兹指出：“此次发现的香水及相关物品与一则希腊神话相吻合。传说中塞浦路斯是希腊神话中爱神阿芙罗狄蒂的出身地，而阿芙罗狄蒂就特别喜欢香水。”
这些来自4000年前的香水及相关发现物目前正在罗马的卡皮托利尼博物馆展出。目前，这些香水中有4瓶已经被还原。一家意大利基金会根据专家的建议提取出香水瓶中的香精、然后加入精油和水，最后将混合物装入细颈小瓶并置于滚烫的灰烬上存放12小时。
一名30多岁的参观者表示：“它们闻起来很不错，只是气味有些浓烈。”还有参观者说：“我能明显辨别出松木的香味。”但在场的女性参观者中没有人表示愿意涂抹这些古老的香水。
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