Olfactory Devotion 

Sculptures from ancient Greece and Rome are considered the epitome of grace. 

It might be surprising to learn they smelled good, too. 

A new study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology found that Greco-Roman statues were perfumed with sweet-smelling fragrances like rose and beeswax. 

“(These are) not merely decorative but symbolic, enhancing the religious and cultural significance of these sculptures,” wrote the Greek City Times. “This revelation challenges the long-held view of classical sculpture as merely a visual art form, introducing a multi-sensory dimension to our understanding of antiquity.”  

Study author Cecilie Brøns was inspired to investigate the scent of these artifacts after she noticed mention of sweet-smelling statues while reading ancient Greco-Roman texts by famous authors, such as Vitruvius, Pausanias, and Pliny the Elder, wrote the Smithsonian Magazine. 

She found that many authors referenced fragrant statues of deities, such as the Greek goddess Artemis, but also those depicting rulers, such as Egypt’s Berenice II. 

Artists applied fragrances not only to make the statues smell good but also to enhance the religious and cultural significance of these art pieces. 

The statues could be covered in a mixture of waxes and oils in a process known as “ganosis” – which was well-documented by Vitruvius and Pliny the Elder – to preserve the integrity of sculptures over time. 

Beyond preservation, the process of decoration – known as “kosmesis” – included visual embellishments and the application of perfumes, mirroring the care given to humans. Pausanias, for example, wrote about how the Statue of Zeus at Olympia was anointed with olive oil to shield its ivory from moisture. 

Brøns wrote in her paper how viewing the statues was not only a visual experience “but also an olfactory one.” 

This sensory aspect highlights the deep reverence for certain statues and emphasizes their preservation and adornment as acts of devotion.