Spikenard in Perfume

Spikenard as an expensive, kingly fragrance in Ancient Egypt. Perfumes bottle were often chached in royal tombs, for the use by the king or queen in the afterlife. The Pharaoh Tutankhamun was no exception and this beautiful perfume jar, some 61cm tall, was found in his famous tomb in the Valley of the Kings.

The perfume inside was in the form of an ointment, what is often called an 'ungent', and retained its scent. When applied, body heat was enough to soften it and release the fragrance. It was analysed in 1926 and found to have a base of animal or bird fat. The aromatic element wasn't determined: the scientists thought it smelled similar to coconus oil. It is now believed to have been spikenard, which was a component of some of the ceremonial fragrances used in Egyptian temples. (These days the much cheaper coconut oil is often used in perfume formulations instead of the very expensive spikenard as the two have similar scents.)

The Bible records the story of Mary of Bethany anointing the feet of Jesus. It is not certain, but commonly Mary of Bethany is assumed to be none other than Mary Magdalene. The Gospel of Matthew tells the story very well and identifies the oitment used as spikenard and that it was very costly.

For more about Mary Magdalene, including the anoitment of the feet of Jesus, please visit my lens about Mary Magdalene.

Matthew 28:1 - 28:2Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, "Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?"

This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, "Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always."Source Bible: King James

Song of Song is the Bible's love poem. It refers to spikenard in two separate sections, but this is the longest.

Song of Songs 4:13 - 4:16Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard; spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices: a fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

Awake, O North wind; and come, thou South; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.Source Bible: King James (capitalisation adjusted)

Because of it's high price, few modern perfumes use spikenard as an ingredient. One major exception is the designer Ayala Moriel who uses it in a number of her fragrances, including:

❤ Rainforest
Fresh and vivid, this perfume condenses in a bottle the green and quiet scent of the mossy, coniferous rainforest of the West Coast. Breath it in, and you'll find yourself strolling on the damp earth amongst the trees?

❤ Song of Songs
"Me, the Rose of Sharon, the Lilly of the valley"... (Canticles 2;1) The Song of Songs (AKA The Song of Solomon, or Canticles) is an erotic love poem, that sensually portrays in details the rich aromatic culture of the Biblical Middle East. This passionate perfume consists of all the Biblical plants and aromatics that were used to cleanse, purify and seduce in that magnificent poem.

❤ Vetiver Racinettes
Vetiver is the root of a tropical grass native to India, Indonesia and Java. It is known for its calming and cooling effect on both mind and body, and is considered "The Scent of Tranqulity" in India. Ruh Khus is wild vetiver from India distilled in traditional copper alembic. Its distinct earthy, copper-like aroma, married with the intense licorice sweetness of tarragon absolute creates a disctinctive aroma never to be explored before in the realm of the vetiver perfume genre. Vetiver Racinettes is at once earthy, sweet and cool like the aromatic roots and rootlets brewed to a bubbly rootbeer. Vetiver Racinettes brings earth's duality: embracing and playful.

The notes are reproduced from Ayala Moriel's website

Spikenard is used in modern aromatherapy, but rarely. As an essential oil, practioners of alternaive and herbal medicenses believe that spikenard also medicinal benefits, particularly in terms of the skin for the treatment of skin rashes. For women, it is supposed to also help rejuvenate skin.

If you are interested in trying some, perhaps to use in aromatherapy, to smell or to even make your own perfume, it can usually by obtained from Amazon or eBay.

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