Ancient Roman Perfume Bottle Found in Carmona, Spain with 2,000 Year Old Scent of Patchouli and Vegetable Oil

MADRID – A bottle parfum from Ancient Roman times found in a burial site in the city of Carmona, Spanish south. This first-century quartz flask-shaped bottle retains a distinctive aroma that’s 2,000 years old.

The chemical analysis of the researchers, as published on the Heritage website on May 23, 2023, revealed that patchouli is one of the ingredients in the perfume’s aroma. Patchouli is known to come from a tropical plant in Southeast Asia called Pogostemon cablin, which may have reached Rome through trade.

Scientists examining the contents of the vials by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry identified several distinct substances of patchouli essential oil, most importantly patchouli or patchouli alcohol. Laboratory analysis revealed that the bottle contained patchouli and vegetable oil.

The bituminous seal in the quartz flask is an important key that keeps the patchouli perfume scent inside lasting. The seal not only keeps the scent in the bottle, but also traps the perfume molecules through a process called adsorption.

“Chemically speaking, bitumen quartz flask coating behaves like carbon, which is the best absorbent for organic compounds. Once absorbed, (molecules) are non-volatile and cannot escape,” said Joss Rafael Ruiz Arrebola from the University of Cordoba in Spain as quoted from the NewsScience page, Tuesday (13/6/2023).

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth) is a tropical shrub that produces a type of essential oil called patchouli oil. This plant is commonly used for its leaves to extract oil, and is processed into perfumes, incense ingredients, essential oils, insect repellents, and is used in the cosmetic industry.

Meanwhile, quartz bottles were a luxury object in Roman times. Quartz is very hard, making it difficult to shape. The object’s small size and exquisite detailing make it a rare find in an ancient Roman burial site.